The Laburnum Top Question Answer Chapter 2 Solved PDF

1. What laburnum is called in your language.
Answer: In Hindi, laburnum is commonly known as Amaltas (अमलतास).

Note: The textbook asks students to find the local-language name themselves.

2. Which local bird is like the goldfinch.
Answer: A local bird similar to the goldfinch is the Sparrow.

The textbook asks students to identify a local bird similar to the goldfinch.

1. What do you notice about the beginning and the ending of the poem?
Answer: At the beginning, the laburnum tree is silent and still. After the goldfinch arrives, the tree becomes full of movement and sound. At the end, when the goldfinch flies away, the tree again becomes silent and empty. Thus, the poem begins and ends with the tree in a quiet state.

2. To what is the bird's movement compared? What is the basis for the comparison?
Answer: The bird's movement is compared to that of a lizard. The comparison is based on the bird's sleek, alert and sudden movement as it enters the thickness of the tree.

3. Why is the image of the engine evoked by the poet?
Answer: The poet compares the laburnum tree to an engine because when the goldfinch enters it, the tree suddenly becomes full of activity, sound and movement. The sounds of the birds and the movement of their wings make the tree seem like a machine that has started working. It is also called the engine of her family because the goldfinch brings life and activity to her young ones.

4. What do you like most about the poem?
Answer: I like the poet's beautiful description of the goldfinch and the laburnum tree most. The sudden change from silence to movement and sound makes the poem lively and attractive.

5. What does the phrase "her barred face identity mask" mean?
Answer: The phrase refers to the striped or barred markings on the goldfinch's face. These markings act like an identity mask because they help describe and identify the bird.

1. The sound words
Answer: chirrup, chitterings, tremor, trillings, whistle, whisperings

These sound-related words are used by the poet to create the sounds and activity associated with the goldfinch and the tree.

2. The movement words
Answer: twitching, enters, trembles, flirts, launches, stokes

These words describe the movement of the goldfinch and the tree.

3. The dominant colour in the poem.
Answer: The dominant colour in the poem is yellow. The poem describes the yellow September sunlight and the yellow laburnum tree.

1. Words which describe 'sleek', 'alert' and 'abrupt'.
Answer: Sleek — smooth and graceful. Alert — watchful and active. Abrupt — sudden.

The poem uses these three words directly to describe the movement and behaviour of the goldfinch.

2. Words with the sound 'ch' as in 'chart' and 'tr' as in 'trembles' in the poem.
Answer: 'ch' sound — chitterings, chirrup. 'tr' sound — tremor, trembles, trillings.

These sound patterns contribute to the musical quality of the poem.

3. Other sounds that occur frequently in the poem.
Answer: 'wh' sound — whisperings. 'th' sound — the, thickness, trembles and thrills. 's' sound — sleek, stokes, subsides.

These sounds help create the rhythm and musical effect of the poem.