1. WORKBOOK QUESTION-ANSWERS, BEETA PUBLICATIONS
Section A: Multiple-Choice Questions
Question 1
Choose the correct answers to the questions from the given options. (Do
not copy the question; write the correct answer only.)
1. What made the speaker notice the speck that would have been beneath
his sight?
(a) Its presence on a white sheet of paper
(b) Its shape like a full stop
(c) Its dark colour
(d) None of the above
Answer: (a) Its presence on a white sheet of paper
2. What was the strange thing that made the speaker think about the
speck?
(a) The speck was a living mite.
(b) The speck was clearly visible to him.
(c) The speck was a figment of his imagination.
(d) The speck was a fluff of dust.
Answer: (a) The speck was a living mite.
3. What was it that the speaker said the living mite could call its own?
(a) Movements
(b) Decisions
(c) Fears
(d) Feelings
Answer: (a) Movements
4. What was the mite’s suspicion?
(a) Of being thrown away from the paper
(b) Of being blown away by the speaker’s breath
(c) Of getting killed by the speaker’s pen
(d) All of the above
Answer: (c) Of getting killed by the speaker’s pen
5. What did the mite drink or smell?
(a) Ink
(b) Sweat
(c) Water
(d) None of the above
Answer: (a) Ink
6. Which figure of speech is used in the phrase ‘with cunning crept’?
(a) Assonance
(b) Simile
(c) Metonymy
(d) Alliteration
Answer: (d) Alliteration
7. Which poetic device is used in the line given below?
‘With loathing, for again it turned to fly’
(a) Metaphor
(b) Personification
(c) Simile
(d) Oxymoron
Answer: (b) Personification
8. The speaker decided not to kill the mite because of which of its
qualities?
(a) Small size
(b) Fear of the speaker
(c) Intelligence
(d) All of the above
Answer: (c) Intelligence
9. Which characteristic trait of the speaker is revealed in the line
‘Whatever I accorded it of fate’?
(a) Arrogance
(b) Superiority
(c) Annoyance
(d) None of the above
Answer: (b) Superiority
10. Which figure of speech is used in the line given below?
‘I have none of the tenderer-than-thou’
(a) Personification
(b) Metaphor
(c) Simile
(d) Alliteration
Answer: (b) Metaphor
Note: The expression ‘tenderer-than-thou’ is
figurative and ironic, presenting an attitude of self-righteous superiority in
terms of ‘tenderness’. Among the options given, ‘metaphor’ is the closest
answer.
11. According to the speaker, the modern world is swept by which of the
following?
(a) Individualism
(b) Collectivistic love
(c) Selfishness
(d) None of the above
Answer: (b) Collectivistic love
12. Why did the poet allow the mite to draw off instead of killing it?
(a) It was too tired and wanted to take rest.
(b) He believed in collectivistic ideology.
(c) It did not intend any harm to him.
(d) None of the above.
Answer: (c) It did not intend any harm to him.
13. Which of the following poetic devices is used in the title of the
poem?
(a) Paradox
(b) Metaphor
(c) Personification
(d) Oxymoron
Answer: (a) Paradox
14. What is the central theme of the poem?
(a) Mind, its creativity and imagination
(b) Collectivistic ideology
(c) Superiority of man
(d) None of the above
Answer: (a) Mind, its creativity and imagination
15. Which of the following lines contains the same literary device as
the one in the title of the poem, ‘A Considerable Speck’?
(a) ‘The little window where the sun
Came peeping in at morn’
(b) ‘His honour rooted in dishonour stood
And faith unfaithful kept him falsely true.’
(c) ‘Good we must love and must hate ill,
For ill is ill and good good still.’
(d) ‘Pulling up Beattock, a steady climb
The gradient’s against her, but she’s on time.’
* Beattock refers to
the steep railway ascent/route near Beattock, a village in Dumfries and
Galloway, Scotland, through which the railway line mentioned in W. H. Auden’s Night
Mail passes.
* gradient’: steepness or slope of a road, railway line, or piece of
land.
Answer: (b) ‘His honour rooted in dishonour stood / And faith unfaithful
kept him falsely true.’
Justification: The title ‘A Considerable Speck’
combines apparently contradictory ideas: a speck is tiny and
insignificant, whereas considerable suggests importance or significance.
Similarly, ‘honour rooted in dishonour’ and ‘faith unfaithful’
bring together contradictory ideas. Thus, both use paradox.
Section B: Context Questions
I. Read the extract given below and answer the
questions that follow:
A speck that would have been beneath my sight
On any but a paper sheet so white
Set off across what I had written there.
And I had idly poised my pen in air
To stop it with a period of ink
When something strange about it made me think,
This was no dust speck by my breathing blown,
But unmistakably a living mite
With inclinations it could call its own.
(i) When did the speaker notice ‘a speck’? Why did he feel that it would
have been beneath his sight?
Answer: The speaker noticed the speck while it was
moving across the paper on which he had been writing. He felt that it would
have been beneath his sight because it was extremely small and would normally
have been too insignificant to attract his attention. The whiteness of the
paper, however, made the tiny speck clearly visible.
(ii) Why did the speaker idly poise his pen in the air?
Answer: The speaker idly poised his pen in the air
because he intended to stop the tiny speck by placing a period of ink over it.
At first, he thought that it was merely a dust speck and was about to kill or
remove it with his pen.
(iii) What was ‘strange’ about it that attracted the speaker’s
attention? What was the speck in reality?
Answer: The speaker noticed that the speck was moving
purposefully and seemed to possess its own inclinations. This made him realise
that it was not an ordinary speck of dust but a living mite.
(iv) Explain the meaning of the last line of this extract.
Answer: The last line, ‘With inclinations it could
call its own’, means that the tiny mite appeared to possess its own desires,
intentions and will. The speaker recognises that even such an insignificant
creature has a mind and an independent existence of its own.
(v) Explain briefly how this extract justifies the title of the poem.
Answer: The extract introduces the ‘speck’ as
something extremely small and apparently insignificant. However, the speaker
discovers that it is a living creature possessing intelligence and independent
inclinations. Thus, although it is a ‘speck’ in size, it becomes ‘considerable’
because of the mind and life it possesses. This apparent contradiction
justifies the title ‘A Considerable Speck’.
II. Read the extract given below and answer
the questions that follow:
Plainly with an intelligence I dealt.
It seemed too tiny to have room for feet,
Yet must have had a set of them complete
To express how much it didn't want to die.
It ran with terror and with cunning crept.
It faltered: I could see it hesitate,
Then in the middle of the open sheet
Cower down in desperation to accept
Whatever I accorded it of fate.
(i) Which characteristic trait of the mite is the speaker talking about
in the first line of this extract? Why?
Answer: The speaker is referring to the intelligence
of the mite. He recognises that its movements are purposeful and that it
behaves intelligently to protect itself from being killed. Its actions reveal
that it possesses awareness and an instinct for survival.
(ii) Why did the speaker at first think that the mite did not have feet?
What made him change his stance at the very next moment?
Answer: The speaker initially thought that the mite
was too tiny to have room for feet. However, its quick and purposeful movements
made him realise that it must have a complete set of feet. Its movements served
as evidence of its physical existence and intelligence.
(iii) What made the speaker realise that it did not want to die?
Answer: The mite ran with terror, moved cunningly,
faltered, hesitated and finally cowered in desperation. These actions clearly
showed the speaker that it was trying to escape death and therefore valued its
own life.
(iv) What did it do in the middle of the sheet of paper? Why?
Answer: In the middle of the sheet, the mite cowered
down in desperation. It did so because it was frightened and apparently unable
to find a safe way to escape the speaker’s pen. It seemed to surrender itself
to whatever fate the speaker might decide for it.
(v) Explain the attitude of the speaker towards the mite in this
extract.
Answer: The speaker’s attitude changes from casual
indifference to interest, sympathy and respect. He initially regards the mite
as an insignificant speck that he could easily kill, but its intelligent
behaviour makes him recognise it as a living creature with a will to survive.
III. Read the extract given below and answer
the questions that follow:
I have none of the tenderer-than-thou
Collectivistic regimenting love
With which the modern world is being swept
But this poor microscopic item now!
Since it was nothing I knew evil of
I let it lie there till I hoped it slept.
(i) Which trait is the speaker referring to when he says he does not
have it? What is the result of lacking this trait?
Answer: The speaker is referring to the
self-righteous, ‘tenderer-than-thou’ attitude associated with collectivistic
thinking. He does not believe in blindly treating all creatures or individuals
according to a collective ideology. His independent mind allows him to judge
the mite as an individual living being rather than simply as an insignificant
object.
(ii) Explain, with reference to the context, the meaning of the phrase
‘Collectivistic regimenting love’.
Answer: ‘Collectivistic regimenting love’ refers
ironically to a social or ideological attitude that seeks to regulate
individuals by imposing a uniform idea of what is supposedly good or
compassionate for everyone. The speaker dislikes such forced, collective conformity
and values individual judgement and independent thought instead.
(iii) To whom did the speaker refer as the ‘poor microscopic item’? Why?
What does it suggest about the speaker?
Answer: The speaker refers to the tiny mite as the
‘poor microscopic item’ because it is extremely small, vulnerable and helpless
in comparison with him. The expression shows that the speaker has developed
sympathy and compassion for the creature. It also suggests that he respects
life, even when it exists in a very small and seemingly insignificant form.
(iv) Why did the speaker let it lie there? Do you think the speaker was
right in doing so? Give a reason to support your answer.
Answer: The speaker let the mite lie there because he
knew of no evil that it had done and therefore saw no reason to kill it. Yes,
his decision was right because he recognised the mite as a living creature with
its own mind and desire to survive. His action demonstrates compassion,
tolerance and respect for life.
(v) Explain how this extract reflects the theme of the poem.
Answer: This extract reinforces the central theme that
intelligence and individuality can exist even in the smallest and seemingly
most insignificant forms of life. The speaker refuses to judge the mite merely
by its size. Instead, he recognises its intelligence and independent will,
showing that the value of a living being cannot be measured by its physical
size.
IV. Read the extract given below and answer
the questions that follow:
I have a mind myself and recognize
Mind when I meet with it in any guise
No one can know how glad I am to find
On any sheet the least display of mind.
(i) What does the speaker want to convey by saying that he has a mind?
Which characteristic trait of the speaker is conveyed by this assertion?
Answer: The speaker wants to emphasise that he
possesses an independent and thinking mind and is therefore able to recognise
intelligence in other beings. This assertion conveys his intellectual
awareness, open-mindedness and respect for independent thought.
(ii) Where does the speaker find ‘the mind’? In which ‘guise’ does he
find it? How does he recognise it?
Answer: The speaker finds ‘the mind’ in the tiny mite
on his sheet of paper. He finds it in the unexpected guise of a microscopic
creature. He recognises its mind through its intelligent, purposeful and
self-protective movements.
(iii) How does the speaker reward it for displaying its mind? Why does
the speaker not punish it for trespassing on his sheet of paper?
Answer: The speaker rewards the mite by allowing it to
live and continue its journey instead of killing it with his pen. He does not
punish it because its behaviour reveals intelligence and a desire to survive,
and he has no reason to regard its presence as harmful or evil.
(iv) What is the reason for the speaker’s feeling of gladness? Give the
symbolic meaning of the line ‘On any sheet the least display of mind.’
Answer: The speaker feels glad because he discovers
evidence of intelligence in an unexpected and extremely small creature.
Symbolically, ‘On any sheet the least display of mind’ means that the presence
of intelligence, however small or insignificant it may appear, deserves
recognition and respect.
(v) What is the central theme of this poem? How is an inconsequential
mite used to justify the theme of the poem?
Answer: The central theme of the poem is the
recognition and value of intelligence, individuality and the instinct for
survival, regardless of physical size or apparent importance. The tiny mite
initially appears to be an inconsequential speck, but its intelligent movements
reveal that it possesses a mind of its own. Thus, the mite becomes
‘considerable’ because of its intelligence and individuality, thereby
justifying the poem’s title and theme.
V. Read the extract given below and answer the
questions that follow:
It paused as with suspicion of my pen,
And then came racing wildly on again
To where my manuscript was not yet dry,
Then paused again and either drank or smelt—
With loathing, for again it turned to fly.
(i) What is referred to by ‘It’ that paused with suspicion? Why did it
do so?
Answer: ‘It’ refers to the living mite. It paused
because it appeared to be suspicious of the speaker’s pen and feared that the
pen might harm or kill it. This reaction demonstrates its awareness and
instinct for self-preservation.
(ii) Why did it start racing wildly after a pause? Why was the
manuscript not yet dry?
Answer: The mite started racing wildly because it was
frightened and was trying to move away from the danger posed by the speaker’s
pen. The manuscript was not yet dry because the speaker had only recently
written on the paper with ink.
(iii) What did ‘It’ drink or smell with loathing? Why? What did it do
after that?
Answer: The mite either drank or smelled the wet ink
on the manuscript. It apparently reacted to the ink with loathing because it
found it unpleasant. After doing so, it turned away and fled again.
(iv) Explain briefly the use of imagery in the extract.
Answer: The extract uses vivid visual imagery to help
the reader picture the tiny mite moving across the white sheet, pausing
suspiciously, racing wildly and then turning away from the wet ink. Words such
as ‘racing’, ‘paused’, ‘drank’, ‘smelt’ and ‘turned to fly’ make the mite’s
movements vivid and lively. The imagery also makes the tiny creature appear
almost human in its reactions.
(v) How does the speaker deal with the mite? What makes him do so? How
does the speaker’s action justify the theme of the poem?
Answer: The speaker chooses not to kill the mite and
allows it to live. He is moved by its intelligence, fear, purposeful movements
and obvious desire to survive. By sparing it, he demonstrates respect for even
the smallest expression of intelligence and individuality. His action therefore
reinforces the central theme that the value of life and intelligence cannot be
judged by physical size or outward importance.
2. WORKBOOK QUESTION-ANSWERS – EVERGREEN
PUBLICATIONS
COMPETENCY-FOCUSED QUESTIONS
I. Multiple Choice Questions
A. Analysis, Application and Evaluation
1. Which of the following options contains the same literary device that
appears in the following line?
“... On any but a paper sheet so white...”
(a) Silver and blue as the mountain mist.
(b) He names the sky his own.
(c) The fir trees dark and high.
(d) Song and mother-croon of bird.
Answer: (d) Song and mother-croon of bird.
The phrase “paper sheet so white” uses alliteration, as does
“mother-croon of bird” through the repetition of the consonant sound.
2. Choose the option that lists the sequence of events in the correct
order.
(i) He changes his mind when he notices something unusual about it.
(ii) The poet realises that the speck is a living mite with preferences of its
own.
(iii) He intends to use the tip of his pen, dipped in ink, to erase the speck.
(iv) The poet notices a speck on the white paper he is writing on.
(a) (i), (ii), (iii), (iv)
(b) (iv), (ii), (iii), (i)
(c) (ii), (iii), (iv), (i)
(d) (iv), (iii), (i), (ii)
Answer: (d) (iv), (iii), (i), (ii).
The poet first notices the speck, then thinks of removing it with his
ink-covered pen. He changes his mind when he notices the mite's behaviour and
finally recognises it as a living creature with a mind of its own.
3. Select the option that shows the correct relationship between
Statements I and II.
Statement I: The poet concludes that the mite proves to be
an intelligent creature.
Statement II: The mite seems to dislike the ink as it
quickly whirls around to fly away.
(a) Statement II is the cause for Statement I.
(b) Statement II is true, and Statement I is false.
(c) Statement I and Statement II are independent of each other.
(d) Statement I is true, and Statement II is false.
Answer: (a) Statement II is the cause for Statement I.
The mite's reaction to the ink makes the poet realise that it has a mind
and preferences of its own. Thus, Statement II explains why the poet considers
the mite intelligent.
4. What is the central idea of Frost's poem A Considerable Speck?
(a) The poet critiques society's disregard for smaller aspects of life.
(b) The idea is that every living being, no matter how small, has its own
perspective and intelligence.
(c) The struggle between man-made creations and the natural world.
(d) The insignificance of individual thoughts in the grand scheme of the
universe.
Answer: (b) The idea is that every living being, no matter how small,
has its own perspective and intelligence.
The poem emphasises the value of individual consciousness. Even a tiny
mite possesses a mind, preferences and a will of its own.
5. Select the correct option.
Assertion: The mite was not cowardly.
Reason: It did try to escape to safety.
(a) 1 is true but 2 is false.
(b) 1 is false but 2 is true.
(c) Both 1 and 2 are true.
(d) Both 1 and 2 are false.
Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2 are true.
The mite is described as not cowardly because, although it senses
danger, it does not behave like a coward. Its attempt to escape shows its
instinct for survival and awareness of danger.
6. Which of these statements is NOT true?
(a) The poet spares the mite as he feels it has a mind of its own.
(b) The poet spares the mite out of pity.
(c) The poet once thinks of killing the mite.
(d) The poet has no indiscriminate love for all living beings.
Answer: (b) The poet spares the mite out of pity.
The poet does not spare the mite merely out of pity. He spares it
because he recognises that it possesses a mind of its own and individual
intelligence.
7. Which of the following lines contains the literary device used in the
title of the poem itself, “A Considerable Speck”?
(a) Parting is such sweet sorrow.
(b) Her mouth was a fountain of delight.
(c) O, my love's like a red, red rose.
(d) The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew.
Answer: (b) Her mouth was a fountain of delight.
The title “A Considerable Speck” contains a metaphorical
expression, giving considerable importance to something physically tiny.
Similarly, “Her mouth was a fountain of delight” is a metaphor.
8. What is the tone of the poet while observing the mite?
(a) Ironic
(b) Fearful
(c) Amusing
(d) Disgusting
Answer: (c) Amusing.
The poet describes the mite's movements and reactions with gentle humour
and amusement, while also reflecting seriously on its intelligence.
9. In the poem, the poet invents the anecdote about the mite to:
(a) narrate an amusing incident
(b) express his disgust for useless insects
(c) suggest the importance of individual mind
(d) amuse the readers
Answer: (c) suggest the importance of individual mind.
The incident of the mite allows Frost to explore the idea that even a
tiny creature may possess an individual mind, preferences and consciousness.
B. Recalling and Understanding
10. What do you imply by “collectivistic regimenting love”?
(a) Love for the whole society or group
(b) Forced love
(c) One-sided love
(d) Indiscriminate love for all irrespective of one's mental calibre
Answer: (d) Indiscriminate love for all irrespective of one's mental
calibre.
“Collectivistic regimenting love” refers to an imposed or indiscriminate
love that treats all beings alike, without recognising their individual
qualities or intelligence.
11. The title A Considerable Speck is quite:
(a) amusing
(b) ironical
(c) surprising
(d) foolish
Answer: (b) ironical.
The title is ironic because a “speck” normally suggests something
tiny and insignificant, whereas the word “considerable” gives it importance.
The contradiction highlights the mite's unexpectedly significant mind.
12. What is this poem about?
(a) A mite on a white sheet of paper
(b) The mind, its creativity and imagination
(c) Collectivist ideology
(d) Individuality
Answer: (a) A mite on a white sheet of paper.
The poem centres on a tiny mite that the poet notices moving across his
white sheet of paper. Through this incident, Frost explores the ideas of
intelligence and individuality.
13. When did the poet notice something running across his paper?
(a) When he sneezed
(b) When he was writing
(c) When he was about to put a full stop to his writing finally
(d) When he left writing
Answer: (c) When he was about to put a full stop to his writing finally.
The poet noticed the speck moving across the paper when he was about to
finish his writing and put a full stop to it.
14. What did the poet like in the mite?
(a) Its colour
(b) Its being intelligent
(c) Its being fearful
(d) Its running in terror
Answer: (b) Its being intelligent.
The poet is impressed by the mite's apparent intelligence and its
ability to make choices according to its own preferences.
15. How did the mite taste or smell the ink?
(a) With loathing
(b) With relish
(c) Hesitatingly
(d) With a shudder
Answer: (a) With loathing.
The mite reacts to the ink with loathing, suggesting that it
dislikes the substance and has a preference of its own.
16. What did the poet imagine?
(a) That the mite was a proud creature
(b) That the mite did not want to die
(c) That the mite feared nothing
(d) That the mite was mischievous
Answer: (b) That the mite did not want to die.
The poet imagines that the mite's movements are motivated by its desire
to avoid danger and survive.
17. Why did the mite falter and hesitate?
(a) It was happy.
(b) It was terrified.
(c) It was cunning.
(d) It did not know what to do.
Answer: (d) It did not know what to do.
The mite falters and hesitates because it seems uncertain about how to
respond to the unfamiliar and potentially dangerous situation.
18. What did the mite finally do?
(a) It squatted.
(b) It bent down and moved backwards in fear.
(c) It sat still.
(d) It ran away to the edge of the sheet of paper.
Answer: (d) It ran away to the edge of the sheet of paper.
After encountering the ink and sensing danger, the mite finally moves
away towards the edge of the paper.
19. Why did the poet not kill the mite?
(a) Because it had a mind of its own.
(b) Because it was a lively creature.
(c) Because it had no evil intention.
(d) Because the poet took pity on it.
Answer: (a) Because it had a mind of its own.
The poet decides not to kill the mite because he recognises that it
possesses a mind of its own, with its own preferences and responses.
PASSAGE 1
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
A speck that would have been beneath my sight
Set off across what I had written there.
On any but a paper sheet so white
And I had idly poised my pen in air
To stop it with a period of ink
i. What is a speck? What does the expression “beneath my sight” signify
in the context?
Answer:
A speck is a very tiny spot or particle. Here, it refers to the tiny
mite moving across the poet’s paper. “Beneath my sight” means that the mite was
so extremely small that the poet would ordinarily have failed to notice it.
ii. What had the poet been doing? What does the last line here tell you
in the context?
Answer:
The poet had been writing on a sheet of white paper. The last line shows
that, on noticing the tiny mite, he held his pen above it and intended to stop
it with a drop or “period” of ink, which could have killed it.
iii. What do you mean by “idly poised my pen”?
Answer:
“Idly poised my pen” means that the poet held his pen suspended in the air
without writing. He paused his writing on noticing the tiny mite moving
across the paper and was about to stop it with a drop of ink.
iv. What did the poet observe about the mite later in the context?
Answer:
The poet observed that the mite was not merely an insignificant speck but a
living creature with a mind of its own. It showed preferences and reacted
to the ink. Its behaviour suggested that it possessed intelligence and an
individual will.
v. Why did the poet spare the mite?
Answer:
The poet initially intended to stop the mite with a period of ink, but he
changed his mind after observing its behaviour. The mite showed awareness,
preference and a will of its own, particularly in its reaction to the ink.
The poet therefore recognised that it possessed an individual mind and was not
merely an insignificant speck. He spared it because he respected its
individuality rather than destroying it indiscriminately.
PASSAGE 2
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
When something strange about it made me think,
This was no dust speck by my breathing blown,
But unmistakably a living mite
With inclinations it could call its own.
I. What was strange about the speck that attracted the speaker's
attention? What was it in reality? Describe the speaker's attitude towards the
speck.
Answer:
The speck attracted the speaker's attention because it moved in a purposeful
and unusual manner instead of behaving like ordinary dust. He realised that
it was actually a living mite. Initially, he regarded it as
insignificant, but his attitude changed to curiosity and respect when he
recognised that it possessed its own inclinations.
II. What made the speaker realise that the mite had a mind of its own as
well as intelligence? Give three reasons to justify your answer.
Answer:
The speaker realised that the mite had a mind of its own because:
1.
It showed a clear preference for what
it liked and disliked.
2.
It reacted to the ink with loathing and
moved away from it.
3.
It changed its direction and tried to
escape, showing awareness of danger and a will to survive.
These actions suggested intelligence and individual choice.
III. Analyse the speaker's decision to let the mite live. What does this
reveal about his character?
Answer:
The speaker decides to let the mite live after recognising that it possesses a
mind of its own. He does not spare it merely out of pity; rather, he
respects its individuality and intelligence. His decision reveals that he is observant,
thoughtful, compassionate and capable of recognising value even in the smallest
living creature.
IV. How would you evaluate the significance of the poem's ending? Why is
the discovery of a “display of mind” so important to the speaker?
Answer:
The poem's ending is significant because the speaker's discovery of a “display
of mind” transforms a tiny, apparently insignificant mite into a creature
worthy of consideration. The discovery challenges the idea that intelligence
belongs only to larger or more important beings. For the speaker, the mite's
individuality makes its life significant and causes him to spare it.
V. What is the central theme of the poem? How does the speaker's action
illustrate the theme of the poem? If you have to give the poem a different
title, what will it be? Give a reason for your answer.
Answer:
The central theme of the poem is the value of individuality and
consciousness in every living creature, however small. The speaker
initially thinks of removing the speck but changes his mind when he recognises
that the mite has preferences, intelligence and a mind of its own. His decision
to spare it reflects his respect for individual consciousness. A suitable
alternative title would be “A Mind of Its Own”, as the poem centres on
the mite's unexpected display of intelligence and individuality.
PASSAGE 3
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
It paused as with suspicion of my pen,
And then came racing wildly on again
To where my manuscript was not yet dry;
Then paused again and either drank or smelt—
With loathing, for again it turned to fly.
I. How does the poet describe the movements of the speck?
Answer:
The poet describes the mite's movements as quick, uncertain and purposeful.
It first pauses suspiciously near the pen, then races wildly towards the wet
manuscript. After pausing to drink or smell the ink, it reacts with loathing
and turns away to escape.
II. What is the significance of the word “suspicion” in Line 1 here?
Answer:
The word “suspicion” suggests that the mite seemed to sense that the
poet's pen might be dangerous. Its pause before the pen makes it appear cautious
and alert. The poet therefore interprets its behaviour as evidence that the
tiny creature can recognise danger and respond intelligently.
III. How did the mite seem to drink or smell the ink?
Answer:
The mite approached the wet ink on the manuscript and paused there,
apparently either drinking or smelling it. However, it seemed to find the ink
unpleasant, as it reacted “with loathing” and immediately turned away.
This behaviour suggests that the mite had a definite preference of its own.
IV. What is a manuscript? How would it be dry?
Answer:
A manuscript is a piece of writing written or prepared by an author.
Here, it refers to the poet's writing on the paper. Since the poet had written
it with wet ink, the manuscript was not yet dry. The mite therefore
encountered the freshly written, wet ink.
V. What did the mite do in terror?
Answer:
When the mite encountered the ink and apparently found it unpleasant, it turned
and raced away. Later, when it sensed danger, it behaved cautiously and
tried to escape. Its rapid movements suggest fear, but they also demonstrate
its instinct for self-preservation and its awareness of the situation.
PASSAGE 4
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
Plainly with an intelligence I dealt.
It seemed too tiny to have room for feet,
You must have had a set of them complete
To express how much it didn't want to die.
It ran with terror and with cunning crept.
It faltered: I could see it hesitate.
I. What do you mean by “an intelligence” in Line 1? Why does the poet
assert this?
Answer:
“An intelligence” means a thinking and conscious mind. The poet asserts
this because the mite behaves purposefully and intelligently. Its suspicion of
the pen, reaction to the ink, attempts to escape and hesitation convince him
that he is dealing with a living creature possessing a mind of its own.
II. What was it that refuted the poet's thinking that the mite had “no
room for feet”?
Answer:
The mite's rapid and purposeful movements refuted the poet's thought
that it was too tiny to have feet. It ran, crept and hesitated with remarkable
agility. Its movements seemed to require a complete set of feet, showing that
the tiny creature was much more complex and active than it appeared.
III. “It ran with terror and with cunning crept.” Explain.
Answer:
The line means that the mite ran away in fear and then cleverly crept to
avoid danger. Its movements were not merely random; they appeared to be guided
by fear, caution and intelligence. The poet therefore sees in its behaviour
both an instinct for self-preservation and a degree of cunning.
IV. What is it that the poet satirizes later in the context? Why?
Answer:
The poet later satirizes “collectivistic regimenting love”, which treats
all living beings alike without recognising their individual qualities. He
rejects such indiscriminate love because he values individual intelligence
and personality. The mite's behaviour has taught him that even a tiny
creature may possess a distinct mind and preferences of its own.
V. What does the poet appreciate in others?
Answer:
The poet appreciates individuality, intelligence and a mind of one's own
in other living beings. He values creatures that can show preferences, make
choices and respond intelligently to their surroundings. The mite's behaviour
earns his respect because it demonstrates these qualities despite its extremely
small size. Thus, the poet values individual consciousness rather than blindly
loving all creatures alike.
PASSAGE 5
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
Then in the middle of the open sheet
Cower down in desperation to accept
Whatever I accorded it of fate.
I have none of the tenderer-than-thou
Collectivistic regimenting love
With which the modern world is being swept.
But this poor microscopic item now!
Since it was nothing I knew evil of
I let it lie there till I hope it slept.
I. What position did the mite take eventually? In what state was it?
Answer:
Eventually, the mite cowered down in the middle of the open sheet. It
was in a state of desperation and helplessness, apparently prepared to
accept whatever fate the poet might decide for it. Its helpless condition
evokes the poet's sympathy and makes him reconsider harming it.
II. Explain “Collectivistic regimenting love”.
Answer:
“Collectivistic regimenting love” refers to an indiscriminate and imposed
kind of love that treats all living beings as equally deserving of
affection without considering their individual qualities. The poet rejects this
attitude because he believes that individual intelligence and personality
should be recognised rather than suppressed by collective thinking.
III. Which ideology is implicitly criticised here and why?
Answer:
The poet implicitly criticises collectivist ideology, which tends to
subordinate individual identity and thought to the interests of the group. He
rejects it because he values individuality, intelligence and independent
thought. The mite becomes an example of how even the smallest creature can
possess a distinct mind and preferences.
IV. What made the poet let the mite “lie there till ... it slept”?
Answer:
The poet let the mite remain because he knew nothing evil about it and
had come to recognise it as a harmless living creature with a mind of its own.
Since it had shown no harmful intention, he decided not to destroy it and
allowed it to remain safely on the paper until he hoped it had fallen asleep.
V. Why does the poet choose a “considerable speck” to express his
appreciation of the mind, its imagination and creativity?
Answer:
The poet deliberately chooses a tiny mite to show that intelligence and
individuality are not necessarily related to physical size or importance.
Although the mite is merely a “speck,” its behaviour reveals awareness,
preference, fear and a will to survive. By calling it “considerable,” the poet
humorously gives importance to something physically insignificant. Thus, the
mite becomes a symbol of the value and dignity of an individual mind.
PASSAGE 6
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
I have a mind myself and recognize
Mind when I meet with it in any guise
No one can know how glad I am to find
On any sheet the least display of mind.
I. In which mood is the poet here?
Answer:
The poet is in a joyful, appreciative and reflective mood. He is
delighted to discover a “display of mind” even in the tiny mite. His happiness
arises from recognising intelligence and individuality in an unexpected form.
II. What quality in a writing appeals to the poet?
Answer:
The poet is particularly attracted by the display of an individual mind
in writing. He appreciates originality, intelligence and independent thought.
Even the smallest indication of a writer's or creature's individual
consciousness gives him pleasure because he values the expression of a distinct
mind.
III. Do you think the idea contained in this last stanza has relevance
in the context? What is it?
Answer:
Yes, the idea is highly relevant. Throughout the poem, the poet gradually
discovers that the tiny mite possesses a mind of its own. The final
stanza explains his reaction: because he himself possesses a mind, he readily
recognises intelligence in other forms. Thus, the ending reinforces the poem's
central idea of individual consciousness.
IV. In what way did the poet identify himself with the mite?
Answer:
The poet identifies himself with the mite through the idea of having a mind
and individual preferences. Just as he possesses a mind of his own, he
recognises the same quality in the tiny creature. The mite's independent
responses therefore create a connection between the poet and the seemingly
insignificant creature.
V. What does the poet mean by “display of mind”?
Answer:
“Display of mind” means an observable expression of intelligence, thought,
awareness or individual consciousness. In the poem, the mite displays its
mind through its purposeful movements, suspicion of the pen, reaction to the
ink, fear, hesitation and attempts to escape. The poet is delighted because
these actions reveal that even a tiny creature possesses a mind of its own.
III. PROJECT ASSIGNMENTS
1. “I have none of the tenderer-than-thou / Collectivistic regimenting
love.” Bring out the significance of the above lines of the poem in the
context.
Answer:
These lines express the poet's rejection of indiscriminate, collective love
that treats all living beings alike without recognising their individual
qualities. The phrase “tenderer-than-thou” also mocks an attitude of
exaggerated moral superiority. The poet does not spare the mite simply because
it is a living creature. He spares it because he discovers that it possesses a
mind, preferences and individuality. Thus, the lines emphasise the poet's
respect for individual intelligence rather than blind collectivism.
2. What does the poet observe? What surprises him? How does he react?
Answer:
The poet observes a tiny speck moving across his white sheet of paper.
At first, he thinks of stopping it with a drop of ink. He is surprised to
discover that it is a living mite displaying intelligence, preferences,
fear, suspicion and a desire to survive. Its purposeful behaviour changes
his attitude. Instead of destroying it, he lets it remain undisturbed,
recognising that it has a mind of its own.
3. Comment on the central idea of the poem.
Answer:
The central idea of A Considerable Speck is the value of individual
consciousness and intelligence, even in the smallest living creature. The
mite, initially appearing to be an insignificant speck, displays purposeful
behaviour, preferences and a will to survive. The poet recognises these
qualities and therefore spares it. The poem also celebrates the ability of a
thinking mind to recognise intelligence wherever it appears. It ultimately
affirms the importance of individuality and independent thought.
4. Is the title of the poem appropriate? Discuss.
Answer:
Yes, the title A Considerable Speck is highly appropriate and ironical.
A “speck” ordinarily suggests something extremely small and insignificant,
while “considerable” means important or worthy of attention. The tiny mite
initially appears insignificant to the poet, but its behaviour reveals that it
possesses a mind of its own. Thus, the title captures the central
contrast of the poem: although the creature is physically tiny, its
intelligence and individuality make it “considerable.”
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