7th Standard, English, Unit – 6, Poem
The Road Not Taken
B. Glossary:
diverged: went in different directions.
undergrowth: bushes, tall plants smaller than the trees around them.
claim: demand as its due.
wanted wear: not damaged by use.
had worn: had become damaged by use.
trodden: crushed by feet.
ages hence: after a long time from now.
C. Speaking, Reading and Writing
Work with your partner. Take turns to ask or answer these questions. Explain to him or her why you think your answer is correct. Quote from the poem if necessary. Write down your answers.
- Two words catch your eye in the first line. They bring before you a beautiful picture. What are those words?
Answer: ‘Two roads’ and ‘Yellow wood’ are the two words catch our eye that brings before us a beautiful picture. These words brings before us to mind a beautiful picture of a life decision. Poet as the traveller stands at a diversion of the roads, unsure which way to go.
- Where and when does a forest turn golden yellow?
Answer: A forest turns golden yellow in autumn in temperate climates, as the leaves change colour from green to yellow before they fall. Then the forest turn golden yellow and looks very beautiful.
- The poet stood for long at a point where two roads forked. (True/Not True) Read out to your partner the lines from the poem.
Answer: True. The lines in Poem are,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveller, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
- “I could not travel both and be one traveller,” says the poet. What does he mean by this? What word expresses his regret about this?
Answer: This means the poet chooses one road. Because it is difficult travel in both the roads at a time and it will take a long time and energy. So he regrets to travel in both roads be a traveller. The word ‘Sorry’ expresses his regret about this.
- In life, sometimes, you are given two choices. But you are to make only one choice. You cannot have both the things. Can you give an example for this? Try.
Answer: In our life we are not able to do more than one work at a time. If we have two choices in education, Job and family, it is better to make only one choice. Otherwise it will be cause to spoil our life. It's definitely dangerous to step into a double boat.
- Complete this English proverb. “You cannot _ _ _ your cake and _ _ _ _ it too!”
Answer: “You cannot have your cake and eat it too!”
- So, what did the poet do? (See stanza 1. Refer to your answer to question 4)
Answer: The poet chooses and travels in one road. Because it is difficult travel in both the roads at a time and it will take a long time and energy. So he regrets to travel in both roads be a traveller. The word ‘Sorry’ expresses his regret about this.
- The poet took the other road. Why did he do that?
Answer: The poet realized that the other road was less travelled by the people. So He thought that there is less crowd and traffic on that road. He thinks that he will reach his destination early and choosed the road. That decision has made all the difference.
- What had worn the other road more or less the same?
Answer: On that day morning when he was travelling he found that both roads are equally lay in leaves and no step had trodden black. The passing there had worn them really about the same.
- Once the second road looked more attractive to him. Then both roads looked equally attractive. Explain this in your own words.
Answer: The poet realized that the other road was less travelled by the people. So the second road looked more attractive to him. On that morning when he was travelling he found that both roads are equally lay in leaves and no step had trodden black. Then both roads looked equally attractive. We may attractive in many choices in our life, but we have realize which one is more effective and successful. Finally the choice of the poet has made all the difference.
11. The poet expresses a wish and a doubt, in these two sentences. Complete these sentences:
I will come back if I travel to another road.
But doubt if I should ever come back.
- According to the poet, one should always take the road travelled by others before. (True/Not True) Explain this in your own words.
Answer: Not True. According to the poet the other road was less travelled by the people. So he decided to travel on that road. So He thought that there is less crowd and traffic on that road. He thinks that he will reach his destination early and choose the road. That decision has made all the difference. In our life also we may attractive in many choices in our life, but we have realize which one is more effective and successful. If we may dissatisfied with others choice we make another choice. Finally the choice of the poet has made all the difference.
C. Writing:
1. Read this dialogue and supply the missing words:
Amar: I’m sorry I took Science in high school.
Akbar: Why do you feel so sorry about it, friend? I also took Science. I regret it a bit too.
Antony: Yes, but why do you like it so much, Amar?
Amar: I now know I don’t have the aptitude for Arts?
Akbar: So you regret now taking Arts, do you?
Antony: Then why did you take Science?
Amar: Very few students took Science then. So Science seemed attractive at that time.
Rhyming Words:
The lines of this poem end with “rhyming words” in the pattern a – b – a – a – b. Find the rhyming words and read them out to your partner.
Answer: wood – stood –could
Both – undergrowth
Fair – wear – there
Claim – same
Lay – day – way
Black – back
Sigh – I – by
Hence – difference
