Odisha State Board CHSE Odisha Class 11 Invitation to English 1 Solutions Poem 5 Fishing Textbook Exercise Questions and Answers.
CHSE Odisha 11th Class English Solutions Poem 5 Fishing
CHSE Odisha Class 11 English To Fishing Text Book Questions and Answers
Think It Out
Question 1.
What idea of the speaker’s age do you find in the first line?
Answer:
The speaker’s age may be more than fifty. He is like seasoned anger.
Question 2.
How did the speaker prepare himself for fishing? (clue: gear and attitude)
Answer:
The speaker prepared himself for fishing with a fishing rod, line, and food put on a hook to catch a fish. He was in a positive and determined attitude at that time.
Question 3.
What did he declare to his family? What silent feedback did he sense from the members of the family?
Answer:
He declared to his family to wait for him because the dinner would be marked by a special dish- fish fry. He sensed silent laughter from the members of his family.
Question 4.
Describe his initial experience. (Ins. 9 – 12)
Answer:
He went fast to the nearby pond straightaway with all the equipment required for fishing and a can. The minutes trickled by and the hours seemed to pass very slowly. It appeared as if he were luckless that day. In short, his initial experience was a blend of both certainty and uncertainty.
Question 5.
What did he dread to face when he would be back home? (Ins. 13 – 15)
Answer:
He dreaded facing the taunting words of some family members if he returned home without a fish.
Question 6.
How was his prayer answered?
Answer:
His prayer was answered when he had a marvelous catch at his disposal. He now succeeded in catching a beautiful one-foot bright and fair fish.
Question 7.
Discuss the contrasting moods presented in stanzas 3, 4, and 5.
Answer:
In stanza 3, the speaker was in a despairing mood as all his efforts to catch fish seemed futile. In stanza 4, he was in a contrasting mood to face the mockery of his family member and kept faith in God’s goodness. In stanza 5, he was in a hopeful mood after getting the opportunity to catch a fish.
Question 8.
Describe the ‘catch’.
Answer:
Driven by determination, the speaker pulled the string of his angle and it brought him a marvelous catch- ‘A one-foot fish, bright and fair’ moving in a twisted manner in the air.
Question 9.
How has the speaker described his joy and the despair of the fish?
Answer:
The speaker has described his joy by running round and round in excitement and the fish’s despair in terms of its breathlessness and sad look that expresses its longing to be free.
Question 10.
What did he think the fish was pleading for?
Answer:
He thought the fish was pleading for its freedom. The fish requested him to allow it to go back to its pond.
Question 11.
What was the debate in the speaker’s mind?
Answer:
The speaker debated his three toils, the tasty fish-fry smell, and the mocking face of some family members staring at him when he got back home fishless.
Question 12.
Discuss the significance of: “For nothing, however, I did care.” (In. 34)
Answer:
The speaker was determined to care for nothing – three hours’ toil, tasty fish-fry flavor, and especially, some mocking face of his family staring at him.
Question 13.
What was the strange feeling that the speaker felt? Can you relate the feeling to the ‘crimson glow’ and ‘greater joy’? (Ins. 36 – 38)
Answer:
The strange feeling that the speaker felt was great joy in his heart. His feelings can aptly be related to ‘the crimson glow’ and ‘greater joy’ that convey the speaker’s act of kindness and immense pleasure.
Question 14.
Which action brought about a greater joy in the heart of the speaker? In comparison to the ultimate greater joy, what do you think would have been lesser happiness?
Answer:
The speaker’s action of allowing the fish to go back to its pond brought about a greater joy in the heart of the speaker. In comparison to the ultimate greater joy, I think the speaker’s reluctant response to the fish’s appeal or lack of his kindness would have been lesser happiness.
Question 15.
Why does he find this feeling strange?
Answer:
He finds this feeling strange, because of several factors such as his liking for fish fry and the taunting remarks of his family members. Besides, the speaker’s fear and anxiety give way to determination.
Question 16.
Do you think the speaker was sensitive? Why do you think so? (clue: at least two reasons)
Answer:
Yes, the speaker was very sensitive, because he did not approve of the taunting remarks of his family members. Besides, he was moved by the sight of the fish’s despair.
Question 17.
Notice that all the stanzas excluding Stanza 7 have four lines each and make one complete sentence. How is Stanza 7 different from other stanzas?
Answer:
All the stanzas in the poem have four lines each and make one complete sentence. On the other hand, stanza 7 has ten lines to make two complete sentences. In this way, stanza 7 is different from other stanzas.
Question 18.
Describe the change that the speaker had between the morning and the evening of the same day.
Answer:
The speaker experienced a sense of dread and uncertainty and great joy between the morning and the evening of the same day. The morning brought him the first two feelings and the evening the last one.
CHSE Odisha Class 11 English To Fishing Important Questions and Answers
A.Short Answer Type Questions with Answers
1. Read through the extract and answer the questions that follow.
Like a seasoned angler sure of his feat
With fishing rod and line, and bait
I said, “You all, wait for me
Fish-fry tonight our dinner will be.”
Though none of them did say a word
On my face, yet I heard
Some chuckles sure at my back
I told myself, “Let me come back.”
To the nearby pond I straighaway ran
With fishing-tackle, and of course, a can
The minutes passed and the hours dragged
It seemed no luck that day I had.
I thought fishless I’d return home
And would face the jeers of some
I threw my line with a fervent wish
“Oh God, today please give me a fish.”
And lo, the float sank, rose again
And popped its head to tell me then
“This is just the time, you man,
To catch a fish if you can.”
Without delay I pulled the string
And what a catch did it bring
A one-foot fish, bright and fair
That wriggled and wriggled in the air.
Questions :
(i) “Though none of them did say a word” – what does ‘none of them’ refer to?
(ii) Explain the expression ‘the hours dragged.’’
(iii) What did the speaker pray to God?
(iv) ‘And what a catch did it bring’ – what does ‘it’ refer to?
(v) What pictures of the fish do you find in the air?
Answers :
(i) The expression ‘none of them’ refers to none of the speaker’s family.
(ii) ‘The hours dragged’ signifies that every hour seemed to be an eternity to the speaker.
(iii) The speaker prayed to God to give him a fish.
(iv) ‘It’ refers to the speaker’s string.
(v) We find the fish moving by twisting on and on in the air.
2. Read through the extract and answer the questions that follow.
At this my joy knew no bound
I ran excited round and round,
But with a gasping mouth and wistful look
It seemed to say, “Please unhook
Me and let me go again
To my home, my waterly den.’’
I did think of my three hours’ labour
And the spicy fish-fry flavour
Back home some mocking face would stare
For nothing, however, I did care.
As the sun was sinking behind the hill
A strange feeling my heart did fill
In the evening’s crimson glow
With greater joy, I let it go.
Questions :
(i) Quote the words that bring out the contrasting feelings of the speaker and the fish.
(ii) What does the expression ‘my watery den’ refer to?
(iii) How did the speaker react to the fish’s appeal?
(iv) How does he describe the fish fry?
(v) ‘With greater joy, I let it go.’ What picture of the speaker do you get here?
Answers :
(i) The speaker’s words ‘my joy knew no bound’ and ‘ran excitedly’ and the fish’s ‘gasping mouth’ and ‘wistful look’ are a study in contrast.
(ii) Here the expression ‘my watery den’ refers to the pond where the fish lives.
(iii) The fish’s appeal made the speaker think seriously.
(iv) He describes that the fish fry is full of spice. It has a nice taste.
(v) Here we learn that the speaker epitomizes kind-heartedness. His act of allowing the fish to go to its pond is a case in point. He proves that an act of kindness is a rich source of joy.
B.Mlultiple Choice Questions (MCQs) with Answers
Choose the correct option.
Live a seasoned……………………………………in the air.
Question 1.
In the first line of the poem, the speaker described himself as a vastly experienced one. Which word speaks of his experience?
(a) sure
(b) seasoned.
(c) feat.
(d) angler.
Answer:
(b) seasoned.
Question 2.
What do you understand by the word ‘bait’?
(a) food put on a hook to catch fish.
(b) a stick pasted with gum to catch fish.
(c) a net with small holes to catch fish.
(d) none of the above.
Answer:
(a) food put on a hook to catch fish.
Question 3.
In the first stanza of the poem (1 to 4 lines), the speaker as a seasoned angler has assured his family members of something for their dinner. What is that?
(a) chicken-fry.
(b) fish-fry.
(c) prawn-fry.
(d) egg-fry.
Answer:
(b) fish-fry.
Question 4.
In the second stanza of the poem (lines 5 to 8), the family members of the speaker have taken his words as him nothing but fun. How is it expressed in the poem?
(a) some back-biting sure at my back.
(b) some gossip sure at my back.
(c) some chuckles sure at my back.
(d) none of the above.
Answer:
(c) some chuckles sure at my back.
Question 5.
What do you mean by the word ‘chuckles’?
(a) back-biting.
(b) gossip.
(c) make fun.
(d) silent laughter.
Answer:
(d) silent laughter.
Question 6.
What did the speaker do with a fishing tackle in hand?
(a) ran straight to a nearby river.
(b) ran to a nearby lake.
(c) ran straight to a nearby pond.
(d) none of the above.
Answer:
(c) ran straight to a nearby pond.
Question 7.
The speaker as a seasoned angler sat on the bank of the pond to catch fish. But it was not possible as minutes and hours passed without a success. What did he feel about himself?
(a) He felt unlucky.
(b) He felt disappointed.
(c) He cursed himself.
(d) He felt himself a failure.
Answer:
(a) He felt unlucky.
Question 8.
What kind of feeling does the speaker have, as we come to know from the fourth stanza of the poem?
(a) satisfaction.
(b) frustration.
(c) contented.
(d) carelessness.
Answer:
(b) frustration.
Question 9.
Then for a fish, he prayed to God with a_______ wish.
(a) deep.
(b) fixed.
(c) fervent.
(d) faithful.
Answer:
(c) fervent.
Question 10.
He thought if he would return home without a fish, he would face the jeers of some. What does the word ‘jeers’ mean?
(a) sympathetic remarks.
(b) consolatory remarks.
(c) rude remarks.
(d) funny remarks.
Answer:
(c) rude remarks.
Question 11.
The fifth stanza of the poem expresses some signs of change and from this, the speaker is
(a) hopeless.
(b) hopeful.
(c) neither hopeless nor hopeful.
(d) none of the above about a fish.
Answer:
(b) hopeful.
Question 12.
The sixth stanza of the poem speaks______about the speaker.
(a) success.
(b) failure.
(c) frustration.
(d) contentment.
Answer:
(a) success.
Question 13.
How long was the fish caught by the speaker?
(a) half-foot.
(b) one-foot.
(c) one and a half feet.
(d) 2 feet.
Answer:
(b) one-foot.
Question 14.
What do you mean by the word ‘wriggled’?
(a) making rounds.
(b) moved in different directions.
(c) moved by twisting.
(d) moved by hanging.
Answer:
(c) moved by twisting.
Lines 25 to 38
At this my………………. I let it go
Question 15.
What is the kind of expression of the speaker seen from the first two lines of stanza 7?
(a) He is unhappy.
(b) He is delighted.
(c) He is consoled.
(d) He is hopeful.
Answer:
(b) He is delighted.
Question 16.
What does the speaker understand by the gasping mouth and wistful look of the fish?
(a) It says to leave him.
(b) It says not to kill him.
(c) It says to keep him as a pet.
(d) none of the above.
Answer:
(a) It says to leave him.
Question 17.
What do you mean by ‘Please unhook me’?
(a) keep me hanging.
(b) free me from the hook.
(c) tie me with a hook.
(d) don’t hurt me.
Answer:
(b) free me from the hook.
Question 18.
Where does the fish desire to go?
(a) to its mother.
(b) to God’s home.
(c) to its home in the water.
(d) to the speaker’s stomach.
Answer:
(a) to its mother.
Question 19.
Stanza 8 describes the speaker’s state of mind which we guess he is in_________.
(a) dilemma.
(b) dissatisfaction.
(c) nervous.
(d) deep thought.
Answer:
(a) dilemma.
Question 20.
How many hours the speaker has labored to catch the fish?
(a) two.
(b) one.
(c) three.
(d) four.
Answer:
(c) three.
Question 21.
What do you mean by ‘mocking face’ here?
(a) those who condemn.
(b) those who praise.
(c) those who criticize.
(d) those who talk behind your back.
Answer:
(c) those who criticize.
Question 22.
The last stanza of the poem expresses quite different feelings of the speaker. He with a greater joy allowed the fish to go. What kind of idea does it convey?
(a) live and let others live.
(b) the joy of the fish is the joy of the speaker.
(c) an act of kindness is a rich source of joy.
(d) be kind and good to others.
Answer:
(c) an act of kindness is a rich source of joy.
Question 23.
Who is the author of this poem?
(a) Gopa Ranjan Rout.
(b) Gopa Ranjan Nanda.
(c) Gopal Ranjan Mishra.
(d) Gopa Ranjan Jena.
Answer:
(c) Gopal Ranjan Mishra.
Detailed Summaries and Glossary
Stanzas (1 – 6)
Gist with Glossary
Like a…………………………. in the air. (Lines 1 – 24)
Gist:
Like a vastly experienced angler, the speaker wanted his family to wait for him because their dinner would have a special item- ‘fish-fry’. No one said a word on his face, but there was their silent laughter behind. Without caring for them, the speaker went straight to the nearby pond to catch them. The minutes passed and the hours seemed to be an eternity to him. The speaker thought that he would be luckless that day. The sight of the teasing remarks of some family members haunted him if he went back home without a fish. He prayed to God, requesting him earnestly to give him a fish.
Glossary :
seasoned: vastly experienced .( ଅଭିଜ୍ଞ)
angler: one who fishes with an angle – a hook, attached to a fishing line (ବନିଶୀପକାଳି)
Bait: food put on a hook to catch fish (ଥୋପ)
chuckles: silent laughter (ଚାପାହସ)
fishing-tackle: all the equipment used in fishing – rod, bait, etc (ମାଛଧରା ସରଞ୍ଜାମ )
The Hours Dragged: the hours did not seem to pass (ସମୟ ଗଡ଼ିଯିବା ଭଳି ଜଣାଗଲା ନାହିଁ)
jeers: rude remarks (କଟୁ ମନ୍ତବ୍ୟ)
fervent: earnest (ଉତ୍ସୁକ)
And…bring: The speaker had a marvelous catch.
Stanzas (7- 9)
Gist with Glossary
At this…………………………………… let it go. (Lines 25 – 38)
Gist :
The sight of a bright and fair big fish filled his heart with boundless joy. He ran in excitement. But the fish made a moving appeal to the speaker to allow him to go back to its pond once again. Its appeal made him think of his three hours’ labor, the tasty fish-fry smell, and some mocking face staring at him, in case he returned home fishless. But, kind-hearted as he was, the speaker acted positively. With a heart full of joy, he allowed the fish to go, when the sun was setting.
Glossary :
At this…….bound: The speaker was extremely happy at the sight of a very beautiful big fish.
wriggled: moved by twisting or turning quickly ( ଆଗକୁ ପଛକୁ ଦେହ ମୋଡ଼ି ଚାଲିଲା)
gasping: breathing in a state of shock (ଧକେଇଲା)
wistful: slightly sad. (ଅଳ୍ପ ଦୁଃଖିତ)
unhook: free (ଖୋଲିଦେବା)
watery den: the pond. (ଜଳାଶୟ)
spicy: full of spice (ମସଲାଯୁକ୍ତ)
flavour: smell (ସୁଗନ୍ଧ)
some…….stare: some face making fun at the speaker
sinking: setting (ବୁଡ଼ିଯିବା)
glow: soft light (ଅଳ୍ପ ଆଲୋକ)
let: allow (ଛାଡ଼ିଦେବା)
Introducing The Poet:
Gopal Ranjan Mishra has written some fascinating poems. They are marked by the simplicity of rhythm.
About The Poem:
‘Fishing’ deals with the fact that a rich source of joy is attributed to an act of kindness. The speaker who presents himself as a veteran angler is a glittering example.
Summary:
The speaker who identifies himself as a vastly experienced angler prepared himself for fishing. He declared to his family to wait for him. As a result, their dinner would be marked by fish fry. None of them spoke a word, yet they responded to his declaration in silent laughter. The speaker’s initial experience was one of bad luck. Minutes and hours trickled by. The nearby pond seemed to disappoint him. The chance of catching any fish did not look bright. He visualized the fear of facing rude remarks from some family members. He threw his line praying to God to give him a fish.
The speaker’s prayer did not go in vain. He had now a marvelous catch – ‘A one foot-high, bright and fair fish’. He saw it move in a twisted fashion in the air when the speaker pulled the string. He was beside himself with joy at the sight of the fish. His excitement ran high. In the meantime, it seemed to plead with the speaker for freedom. The fish’s earnest request to get it free sparked a debate in the speaker’s mind.
The thought of three hours’ toil, the spicy fish-fry taste, and of ‘some mocking face’ staring at him when he would come back fishless swam before his mind’s eye. However, he didn’t care for anything. The poem ends on a happy note. The sun was setting. A strange feeling filled the speaker’s heart. With a heart full of joy, he allowed the fish to go. In short, the speaker found great pleasure in his act of kindness.
ସାରାଂଶ:
ନିଜକୁ ଜଣେ ଅଭିଜ୍ଞ ବନିଶୀପକାଳି ବୋଲି ଭାବୁଥୁବା କବି ଥରେ ମାଛ ଧରିବା ପାଇଁ ପ୍ରସ୍ତୁତ ହେଲେ । ସେ ପରିବାରର ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କୁ ଅପେକ୍ଷା କରିବାକୁ କହିଲେ । ଆଜିର ଭୋଜନରେ ମାଛ ଭଜା ଖିଆ ହେବ ବୋଲି କହିଲେ । ତାଙ୍କୁ କେହି କିଛି କହିଲେ ନାହିଁ, ମାତ୍ର ଚାପା ହସର ଗୁଞ୍ଜରଣ ସେ ଶୁଣିପାରିଲେ । ସେ ସବୁ ସରଞ୍ଜାମ ଧରି ନିକଟସ୍ଥ ପୋଖରୀକୁ ଗଲେ । କିନ୍ତୁ ସେ ମାଛ ଧରିବାରେ ବିଫଳ ହେଲେ । ପୋଖରୀ ତାଙ୍କୁ ନିରାଶ କଲାଭଳି ଜଣାଗଲା । କୌଣସି ମାଛ ଧରିବାର ଆଶା ଦେଖାଗଲା ନାହିଁ । ଘରର ଲୋକମାନଙ୍କ ବଟୁ ମନ୍ତବ୍ୟର ସମ୍ମୁଖୀନ ହେବାର ଭୟ ତାଙ୍କୁ ଘାରିଲା । ସେ ଭଗବାନଙ୍କୁ ପ୍ରାର୍ଥନା କରି ବନିଶୀ ସୂତା ପକାଇଲେ ।
କବିଙ୍କର ପ୍ରାର୍ଥନା ବୃଥା ହେଲା ନାହିଁ । ସେ ପକାଇଥବା ବନିଶୀ କଣ୍ଟାରେ ଏକ ଫୁଟ ଲମ୍ବର ଧଳା ମାଛଟିଏ ଲାଗିଲା । କବି ବନିଶୀ ତରତରରେ ଉଠାଇ ଦେଖୁଲେ ମାଛଟି ଢଳି ଢଲି ଆସୁଛି । ସେ ଖୁସିରେ ପାଗଳ ହୋଇଗଲେ । ମାତ୍ର ସେହି ସମୟରେ କବିଙ୍କୁ ଜଣାଗଲା ଯେ ମାଛଟି ତାକୁ ଛାଡ଼ିଦେବାକୁ ଯେପରି ପ୍ରାର୍ଥନା କରୁଛି । ମାଛଟିର ଫେରିଲେ କେତେକ ପରିହାସ ବ୍ୟଞ୍ଜକ ମୁହଁ ତାଙ୍କ ମାନସଚକ୍ଷୁରେ ଭାସି ଉଠିଲା । କିନ୍ତୁ ସେସବୁକୁ ଖାତର କଲେ ନାହିଁ । ସୂର୍ଯ୍ୟ ଅସ୍ତ ହେବାକୁ ଯାଉଥିଲେ । କବିଙ୍କ ହୃଦୟରେ ଏକ ଅଦ୍ଭୁତ ଭାବନା ଆସିଲା । ସେ ଆନନ୍ଦପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ହୃଦୟରେ ମାଛଟିକ ପୋଖରୀରେ ଛାଡି ଦେଲେ । ସେହି ଦୟାପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ତାଙ୍କ ମନକୁ ଅପୁର୍ବ ଆନନ୍ଦରେ ଭରିଦେଲା ।