Unit 10
The Earth and Space
Uphill
Reading 2
A. Match the words in column ‘A’ with their meanings in column ‘B’.
| Column ‘A’ | Column ‘B’ |
| a. wind | i. person who usually travels on foot |
| b. morn | ii. a small hotel, usually in the country |
| c. inn | iii. to have many bends and twists |
| d. wayfarer | iv. look for |
| e. seek | v. morning |
B. Complete the summary of the poem with the suitable word/ phrases given below.
the road ahead up-hill someone a place a journey in the affirmative on the way everyone fellow travellers an inn
The speaker is making ……………. with her guide. She asks the guide eight different questions about …………. The first question is if the road is all ……………. and if the journey will take all day. The guide replies …………….. Next, she asks if there is ……………. to rest for the night. The guide informs the speaker that there is ……………. which she won’t miss. The speaker’s fifth question is, whether she will meet the other travellers …………….. At the inn, the speaker asks if she should knock or call the …………….. The guide replies that……………. will open the door. Lastly, the speaker asks if there will be a bed for her. The guide tells her that there are beds for…………….
Answer
The speaker is making a journey with her guide. She asks the guide eight different questions about the road ahead. The first question is if the road is all uphill and if the journey will take all day. The guide replies in the affirmative. Next, she asks if there is a place to rest for the night. The guide informs the speaker that there is an inn that she won’t miss. The speaker’s fifth question is, whether she will meet the other travellers on the way. At the inn, the speaker asks if she should knock or call her fellow travellers. The guide replies that someone will open the door. Lastly, the speaker asks if there will be a bed for her. The guide tells her that there are beds for everyone.
C. Answer the following Questions
a. How far is the road uphill, according to the guide?
Answer: According to the guide, the road is so far uphill. It takes morning to night to complete the journey.
b. What does the speaker doubt about the place to rest?
Answer: The speaker doubts whether there is a resting place or not when they reach their destination during the night.
c. Who has travelled the road before?
Answer: The other wayfarers have travelled the road before.
d. What is the speaker’s seventh question?
Answer: The speaker’s seventh question is whether she will find ease and comfort after her difficult journey of being weary and weaker.
e. Who do you think opens the door?
Answer: I think other wayfarers who have gone there before opening the door.
D. Write a short description of an interesting road that you have recently travelled along.
Answer: The road that I have recently travelled along is the road of Gowari Botanical Garden. This road is situated in Lalitpur district and Godawari municipality. This road has various bends uphill. It takes 1 hour to reach the main spot from the ring road of Kathmandu Valley. During my journey, I was quite excited. I enjoy the scenic beauty around Lalitpur and the road. The pollution and dust were disgusting. But the greenery around the Godawari was quite attractive.
Extra Bit of Question Answer
Who composed this poem?
Answer: Christina Rossetti composed this poem.
Who is asking questions to whom?
Answer: The speaker/traveller is asking questions to the guide.
What are they talking about?
Answer: They are talking about their journey.
Where are they travelling to?
Answer: They are travelling to a long journey uphill.
What is the lady asking the man?
Answer: The lady is asking the man various questions regarding a long journey.
What does the speaker ask her guide in the first stanza?
Answer: In the first stanza, the speaker asks her guide whether the road is difficult and up-hill all the way and if the journey would take all day long.
How long will the day’s journey take?
Answer: The day’s journey will take the whole day from morning till night.
Where is the resting place located?
Answer: The resting place is located at the end of the journey.
Why is the speaker worried in the second stanza?
Answer: The speaker is worried in the second stanza because she thinks that the darkness might hide the inn from her view/face.
Who are other wayfarers?
Answer: Wayfarers are those travellers who have gone on the same journey before.
Why does the speaker desire for a resting place?
Answer: The speaker desires a resting place because she needs her safety at the end of her journey.
Who will open the door in that inn?
Answer: The other wayfarers who have gone before on this particular journey will open the door in that inn.
Will the speaker have to wait at the door? Why / Why not?
Answer: No, the speaker won’t have to wait at the door because the other wayfarers will immediately open the door and let her in.
Will there be beds for all?
Answer: Yes, there will be beds for all.
What is the main theme of the poem?
Answer: The main theme of the poem is the hardships of human life till the end.
Discussion
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