NCERT Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Poem 3 Keeping Quiet

NCERT Solutions for Class 12 English

Keeping Quiet NCERT Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Poem 3

Keeping Quiet NCERT Text Book Questions and Answers

Keeping Quiet Think it out

Question 1.
What will counting upto twelve and keeping still help us achieve?
Answer:
This exercise of counting upto twelve will help us to sit still, away from the humdrum of life, meditate, reflect and introspect in silence. It will help us achieve a sense of togetherness away from the mundane activities of life. It will also help us save the world from disasters and wars.

Question 2.
Do you think the poet, Pablo Neruda advocates total inactivity and death? Why/Why not?
Answer:
No, the poet Pablo Neruda does not advocate total inactivity or death. He wants inhuman and destructive activities, specially those which are involved in war, to be stopped. He wants the human race to live in peace and harmony, perserve nature and the environment.

NCERT Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Poem 3 Keeping Quiet

Question 3.
What is the ‘sadness’ that the poet refers to in the poem?
Answer:
The sadness that the poet refers to is the sadness of isolation, of which the modern man has become a victim. This sadness has made man selfish. Man forgets the needs of his fellow men.

Question 4.
What symbol from Nature does the poet invoke to say that there can be life under apparent stillness?
Answer:
The earth has been personified as a teacher. Like a teacher, the earth teaches us the best lesson in silence. It sends us a strong message that when everything on earth seems silent and quiet, it nurtures so much life underneath. Life moves on, like an ongoing process, and the cycle of birth and death, decay and renewal continues.

Keeping Quiet Extra Questions and Answers

Keeping Quiet Short Answer Questions

Question 1.
In the poem ‘Keeping Quiet’, what is the appeal made by the poet?
Answer:
The poet appeals the people to keep quiet for a short time. This would help them take stock of their mindless activities and conduct self-analysis. All this will help save mankind from its imminent doom.

Question 2.
“Under the apparent stillness there is life.” Justify this statement giving an example from the poem, ‘Keeping Quiet’.
Answer:
The poet says that just as there will be life below the snow once it melts, similarly, there will be life even in the apparent stillness.

Question 3.
What are the different kinds of wars mentioned in the poem? What is Neruda’s attitude towards these wars?
Answer:
Green wars – cutting the trees, war with environment; war with gas—chemical or nuclear; war with fire, and war with ammunition. Every type of war is useless and must be given up. Whenever there is victory after a war, there are no survivors. War is only destructive.

NCERT Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Poem 3 Keeping Quiet

Question 4.
When everything seems dead, what remains alive?
Answer:
When everything seems dead, only the earth remains alive.

Question 5.
What is ‘the fisherman’ symbolic of?
Answer:
The fisherman symbolises man’s indiscriminate exploitation of nature for his vested interests.

Question 6.
How can suspension of activities help?
Answer:
The poet believes that suspension of activities will allow men to introspect, which can help them by solving many of the problems based on caste, religion and nationality.

Question 7.
According to the poet, what is that human beings can learn from nature?
Answer:
Life under apparent stillness in attitude is important. Just like nature carries on its work even when there is stillness all around, similarly, stillness in attitude will help in retrospection.

Question 8.
‘Life is what it is all about; How is keeping quiet related to life?
Answer:
Keeping quiet helps people pursue their goals single-mindedly. They need to understand that silence is productive and stillness is progress.

Question 9.
Why does one feel ‘a sudden strangeness’ on counting to twelve and keeping quiet?
Answer:
The absence of hustle and bustle of life would create feeling of peace and quietness, which would make us united in our natural commitment. It will create a strange feeling of universal brotherhood.

NCERT Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Poem 3 Keeping Quiet

Question 10.
How will ‘keeping quiet’ protect our environment?
Answer:
Keeping quiet will stop man’s indiscriminate exploitation of nature for his vested interests. In this moment of inactivity, fishermen will not harm the whales.

Question 11.
How would keeping quiet affect life in and around the sea?
Answer:
Keeping quiet will prevent sea life from being harmed and the person collecting salt would look at his hurt hands. It will thus, help in maintaining an ecological balance and give everyone some time to introspect.

Question 12.
How is the earth a source of life when all seems dead on it?
Answer:
The seeds that lie dormant throughout winter germinate or spring to life with the arrival of spring. It appears as if nature is celebrating life.

Question 13.
According to Pablo Neruda, how would keeping quiet be an exotic moment?
Answer:
According to Pablo Neruda, when everything comes to a standstill, it would be a rare moment. No one would rush, no engines running. No one would harm any other organism. All would be calm and quiet reflecting upon their lives and introspecting.

Question 14.
What are green wars? Who wage them and with what result?
Answer:
Green wars mean war against environment or environmental degradation. It is waged by the people who exploit the nature for commercial use and the soldiers. It results in damage to the environment and ultimately harming humans.

NCERT Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Poem 3 Keeping Quiet

Question 15.
According to Pablo Neruda, what do we not do when we keep quiet?
Answer:
When we keep quiet, we will not be in any rush, the people will not harm any other living organisms and will not harm the environment. When we keep quiet, we will not do anything.

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