I Cannot Remember My Mother Question Answer Chapter 4 Solved PDF

1. The poet remembers his mother while he ____________.
Answer: plays

2. The poet remembers the ____________ but not the ____________.
Answer: tune, mother

1. The poet remembers his mother in the ____________ season.
Answer: early autumn

2. The poet remembers his mother by the smell of ____________.
Answer: shiuli flowers

1. The poet feels that his mother ____________ at him from the ____________.
Answer: gazes, sky

1. Two examples of alliteration
Answer: "my play" / "my playthings"; "mother's gaze"

2. An example of onomatopoeia
Answer: "hum"

3. The poem uses imagery extensively. Explain.
Answer: The poem appeals to different senses. The humming tune appeals to hearing, the smell of shiuli flowers appeals to smell, and the blue of the distant sky appeals to sight. These sensory images help the poet experience his mother's presence through memories.

4. Although the poem does not have a rhyme scheme, it is enjoyable because ____________.
Answer: It is enjoyable because of its beautiful imagery, simple language, emotional depth and musical quality.

5. What is the tone of the poet? Why do you say so?
Answer: The tone is nostalgic and emotional because the poet recalls his mother through childhood memories and natural images.

6. What impact does the title of the poem have on the overall mood of the poem?
Answer: The title creates a sad and nostalgic mood. It suggests that the poet cannot clearly remember his mother, which makes the memories that come through sounds, smells and sights more emotional.

7. The poet uses 'I cannot remember my mother' as a refrain because ____________.
Answer: It is repeated to emphasise the poet's inability to remember his mother directly and to highlight how her memory nevertheless returns through different sensory experiences.

8. The poet uses symbolism to indicate the memory of his mother's presence. Identify the symbols used in the poem.
Answer: Humming tune — symbolises the mother's loving presence and care. Shiuli flowers and their scent — symbolise the mother's memory. Blue sky — symbolises the mother's peaceful and enduring gaze.

(i) Complete the sentence appropriately.

The poet is reminded of his mother during his ____________.

Answer: playtime

(ii) What is the primary emotion conveyed by the line 'a tune seems to hover over my playthings'?

Answer: The line conveys nostalgia and tenderness because the tune reminds the poet of his mother singing while rocking his cradle.

(iii) Choose the correct option. The hovering tune during playtime:

A. enhances the joy of play
B. disrupts the playtime atmosphere
C. activates memories of the mother
D. symbolises the carefree nature of childhood

Answer: C. activates memories of the mother

(iv) State whether the following sentence is true or false.

The poet experiences the tune lingering over playthings only occasionally during playtime.

Answer: True

(v) How could the poet feel his mother's presence, even though she isn't there?

Answer: He could feel her presence through the familiar tune she used to hum while rocking his cradle. The sound brings back the memory of his mother.

(i) What does the poet suggest about the stillness of his mother's gaze spreading over the sky?

A. The mother's gaze is physically present in the sky.
B. The sky is a symbolic extension of the mother's presence.
C. The sky mirrors the mother's emotions.
D. The stillness is fleeting and unrelated to the mother.

Answer: B. The sky is a symbolic extension of the mother's presence.

(ii) What emotion does the poet associate with the 'stillness' of his mother's gaze?

A. a sense of grief
B. a sense of anticipation
C. a sense of nostalgia
D. a sense of serenity

Answer: C. a sense of nostalgia

(iii) State whether the following sentence is true or false.

The poet suggests that the mother's gaze has a tangible and visual effect on the sky.

Answer: True

(iv) What is the purpose of likening the mother's gaze to the sky?

Answer: It shows that the memory and presence of his mother seem vast and all-encompassing, spreading across the poet's surroundings.

(v) Complete the sentence appropriately.

The tone of the poet in the given extract is _____________ because _____________.

Answer: The tone is nostalgic and emotional because the poet feels his mother's peaceful gaze through the vast sky.

1. What is the emotional impact of the refrain, 'I cannot remember my mother'?
Answer: The refrain creates a feeling of sadness, longing and nostalgia. It emphasises that although the poet cannot directly remember his mother, her presence survives through sensory memories.

2. Interpret the connection between the poet's mother and the following:

(i) Shiuli flowers: The fragrance of the shiuli flowers reminds the poet of his mother and connects the natural world with her memory.

(ii) Humming tune: The humming tune reminds him of his mother singing while rocking his cradle. It represents her loving and caring presence.

3. What role does nature play in the poet's description of the memory of his mother?
Answer: Nature acts as a medium through which the poet experiences his mother's presence. The scent of shiuli flowers and the vast blue sky bring back memories of her.

4. What can be inferred about the poet's perception of the mother–child relationship?
Answer: The poem suggests that the bond between a mother and child is deep and lasting. Even when direct memories fade, the mother's presence can remain through emotions, sensory experiences and childhood impressions.

Visual: glowing, gigantic, minuscule, gloomy, vibrant, crimson

Auditory: rustle, hiss, sizzle, deafening, squeaky, ear-splitting

Olfactory: aroma, stale, scent, pungent, stinky, fragrant

Tactile: sticky, rough, chilled, fluffy, smooth, slimy, hairy