Certainly!

Below are the solutions to the comprehension questions, multiple choice questions,
short answer questions, and long answer questions for the poems "My Mother at Sixty-Six"
and "Keeping Quiet" from the CBSE Class 12 English question bank provided.

POEM 1 – MY MOTHER AT SIXTY-SIX

(A) Important Stanzas for Comprehension

Stanza 1

1. (a) The poet was driving to Cochin. Her mother was sitting beside her. (b) The poet
noticed that her mother was dozing with her mouth open, her face looked ashen like
Certainly! Below are the solutions to the comprehension questions, multiple choice questions,
short answer questions, and long answer questions for the poems "My Mother at Sixty-Six"
and "Keeping Quiet" from the CBSE Class 12 English question bank provided.

POEM 1 – MY MOTHER AT SIXTY-SIX

(A) Important Stanzas for Comprehension

Stanza 1

1. (a) The poet was driving to Cochin. Her mother was sitting beside her. (b) The poet
noticed that her mother was dozing with her mouth open, her face looked ashen like
that of a corpse. (c) Her mother’s face looked like a corpse because she was old, pale,
and seemed lifeless. (d) (i) Doze (ii) Corpse (iii) Realized

Stanza 2 2. (a) After the security check, the poet looked again at her mother standing a few
yards away. (b) The poet compared her mother’s face to a late winter’s moon because it was
wan and pale, symbolizing old age. (c) Her childhood fear was the fear of losing her mother.
(d) The parting words and her smile presented a contrast to her real feelings because, despite
feeling pain and fear, she chose to smile and say a hopeful farewell.

(B) Multiple Choice Questions

1. A. her fears
2. A. Sprinting trees
3. C. tree’s sprinting, merry children spilling out of their homes
4. D. free verse
5. D. of fear and insecurity
6. D. Shows old age
7. B. an optimistic farewell full of cheerfulness
8. C. pale and lifeless face of the poet’s mother
9. D. a single thread of thought mixed with harsh realities
10. D. smiling

(C) Short Answer Type Questions

1. The poet feels a deep pain and ache on realizing that her mother is aging and might
not live long.
2. The young trees are described as 'sprinting' to show the contrast between the
energetic, fast-moving life outside and the old, slow-moving life of her mother.
3. The image of merry children spilling out of their homes symbolizes the vigor and
liveliness of youth, contrasting with her mother's aging.
4. The mother is compared to the 'late winter's moon' to emphasize her pale, aging face.
5. The parting words and the smile signify the poet's attempt to hide her pain and keep
the farewell cheerful and hopeful.
6. The poet was going to Cochin and her mother was with her.
7. The poet’s childhood fear was that her mother would die and she would be left alone.
8. The poet’s mother looked pale and ashen like a corpse. The poet uses images like
'ashen like a corpse' and 'late winter's moon' to signify her mother's aging decay.
that of a corpse. (c) Her mother’s face looked like a corpse because she was old, pale,
 and seemed lifeless. (d) (i) Doze (ii) Corpse (iii) Realized

Stanza 2 2. (a) After the security check, the poet looked again at her mother standing a few
yards away. (b) The poet compared her mother’s face to a late winter’s moon because it was
wan and pale, symbolizing old age. (c) Her childhood fear was the fear of losing her mother.
(d) The parting words and her smile presented a contrast to her real feelings because, despite
feeling pain and fear, she chose to smile and say a hopeful farewell.

(B) Multiple Choice Questions

1. A. her fears
2. A. Sprinting trees
3. C. tree’s sprinting, merry children spilling out of their homes
4. D. free verse
5. D. of fear and insecurity
6. D. Shows old age
7. B. an optimistic farewell full of cheerfulness
8. C. pale and lifeless face of the poet’s mother
9. D. a single thread of thought mixed with harsh realities
10. D. smiling

(C) Short Answer Type Questions

1. The poet feels a deep pain and ache on realizing that her mother is aging and might
not live long.
2. The young trees are described as 'sprinting' to show the contrast between the
energetic, fast-moving life outside and the old, slow-moving life of her mother.
3. The image of merry children spilling out of their homes symbolizes the vigor and
liveliness of youth, contrasting with her mother's aging.
4. The mother is compared to the 'late winter's moon' to emphasize her pale, aging face.
5. The parting words and the smile signify the poet's attempt to hide her pain and keep
the farewell cheerful and hopeful.
6. The poet was going to Cochin and her mother was with her.
7. The poet’s childhood fear was that her mother would die and she would be left alone.
8. The poet’s mother looked pale and ashen like a corpse. The poet uses images like
'ashen like a corpse' and 'late winter's moon' to signify her mother's aging decay.
9. After the security check, the poet looked again at her mother, standing a few yards
away, looking wan and pale.
10. The poet realizes with pain that her mother is aging. She puts that thought away by
looking outside to distract herself.

(D) Long Answer Type Questions

1. Theme of the poem: The poem deals with the theme of aging and the inevitable
separation that comes with it. The poet expresses her deep emotional pain on realizing
her mother's old age and her fear of losing her. The poem also highlights the contrast
between life and death, youth and old age.
2. Images conveying old age: The poet uses several images to convey her mother’s old
age. Her mother’s face is described as 'ashen like a corpse' and 'wan, pale as a late
 winter’s moon.' These images evoke the frailty and lifelessness associated with old
age.
3. Appropriateness of the repeated smile: The repeated smile of the poet is a way of
hiding her true feelings of pain and fear. While she is deeply troubled by her mother’s
aging, she smiles to keep the moment cheerful and to avoid upsetting her mother.
4. Expectations of elderly parents: Elderly parents often expect love, care, and
emotional support from their children. They seek companionship and assurance that
they are not alone in their later years. Simple gestures of spending time and showing
affection can mean a lot to them.

POEM 2 – KEEPING QUIET

(A) Important Stanzas for Comprehension

Stanza 1

1. (a) The poem is "Keeping Quiet" by Pablo Neruda. (b) The poet asks us to count to
twelve to create a moment of pause and reflection. (c) The poet asks us to keep still to
bring about peace and introspection. (d) (ii) Count (iii) Still

Stanza 2 2. (a) The poem is "Keeping Quiet" by Pablo Neruda. (b) The poet asks us not to
speak in any language to avoid misunderstandings and conflicts. (c) We should not move our
arms so much. (d) The phrase 'the face of the Earth' means the entire world.

Stanza 3 3. (a) The poem is "Keeping Quiet" by Pablo Neruda. (b) If there is no rush or
running of engines, there will be calmness and peace. (c) It will be an exotic moment. (d) At
that moment, we would feel a sudden strangeness and unity.

Stanza 4 4. (a) Fishermen usually harm whales in the cold sea. (b) The poet asks fishermen
not to harm whales. (c) The man gathering salt has hurt his hands. (d) The man gathering salt
should look at his hurt hands and reflect.

Stanza 5 5. (a) The poem is "Keeping Quiet" by Pablo Neruda. (b) The wars mentioned are
green wars, wars with gas, and wars with fire. (c) The victory would be hollow with no
survivors to celebrate. (d) The lovers of war should put on clean clothes and walk about with
their brothers in the shade, doing nothing.

(B) Multiple Choice Questions

1. (c) paradox
2. (a) earth
3. (a) achieving harmony, brotherhood
4. (a) totally compatible
5. (a) salt gatherer
6. (a) not causing extinction of whales
7. (a) entire mankind
8. (c) Pablo Neruda
9. (a) initiate the state of inactivity
10. (d) The earth
11. (b) huge silence
 12. (b) brothers
13. (a) man gathering salt
14. (c) alliteration
15. (c) any language
16. (d) a continuous evolution of nature
17. (d) All these
18. (d) All these
19. (b) growing greed of man
20. (c) to think and stop harming the fish
21. (d) for 1 second till we count 12
22. (d) because of perfect peace and harmony
23. (d) to relax and be more thoughtful
24. (d) in the hope of becoming more thoughtful and peaceful
25. (b) perseverance and new beginning from seemingly stillness
26. (d) Practice of silence
27. (d) All these
28. (d) To be peaceful, thoughtful and have feelings of brotherhood
29. (d) All
30. (d) All these
31. (d) because it creates barriers or obstacles in the form of misunderstanding amongst
people
32. (d) Soul searching
33. (d) Spanish
34. (d) Pablo Neruda
35. (c) the necessity to introspect, understand and have feelings of brotherhood

(C) Short Answer Type Questions

1. Counting up to twelve and keeping still will help us achieve peace and a moment of
introspection.
2. The poet does not advocate total inactivity and death; he advocates for a pause to
reflect and understand ourselves.
3. The 'sadness' refers to the sadness of not understanding ourselves and our constant
rush and aggression.
4. The poet uses the symbol of the Earth, which appears still but is continuously alive, to
say that there can be life under apparent stillness.
5. (Personal experience will vary)
6. The different kinds of war mentioned are green wars, wars with gas, and wars with
fire.
7. Pablo Neruda suggests that instead of indulging in wars, people should take time to
introspect and understand each other.
8. The poet feels we should not be single-minded because it leads to destructive actions
and misunderstandings.
9. A huge silence might interrupt the sadness of men by providing a moment of peace
and self-reflection.
10. We shouldn’t speak in any language and not move our arms to avoid conflicts and
promote unity.

(D) Long Answer Type Questions

1. Title 'Keeping Quiet': The title "Keeping Quiet" is justified as the poem emphasizes
the importance of taking a moment of silence to introspect and understand ourselves.
This silence is not just a lack of noise but a deep reflection that can lead to peace and
harmony.
2. Poetic devices in the poem: The poet uses various poetic devices such as symbolism
(earth), personification (wars with gas, wars with fire), and alliteration (sudden
strangeness). These devices help convey the themes of introspection, peace, and unity.
3. Importance of counting to twelve: The dramatic count to twelve serves as a
symbolic pause that encourages us to reflect on our