Keeping Quiet

Read the stanzas given below and answer the questions that follow each

1.Now we will count to twelve and we will all keep still.

Questions

(a)Name the poem and the poet of these lines.

(b)Why does the poet ask us to count to twelve?

(c)Why does the poet ask us to keep still?

(d)Find words from the passage which mean.

(ii)say number (iii) quiet and motionless.

Answers:

(a)The name of the poem is Keeping Quiet. The name of the poet is Pablo Neruda.

(b)There are only twelve signs on the clock to measure hours and twelve months make a year. If we count up to twelve and keep quiet, we will have eternal life to calm down and will have time for introspection.

(c)Too much activity and rush has only brought misfortunes to mankind. Hence, it is better to be quiet and still.

(d) (i) count (ii) still

2. For once on the face of the Earth let’s not speak in any language, let’s stop for one second, and not move our arms so much.

Questions

(a)Name the poem and the poet of these lines.

(b)‘Let’s not speak in any language’, says the poet. Why?

(c)What should we not do for a second?

(d) What do you understand by ‘the face of the Earth?

Answers:

(a)The name of the poem is Keeping Quiet. The poet is Pablo Neruda.

(b)The people of the world have been indulging in wars and bloodsheds on minor excuses. If they keep quiet and not speak in any language, this will ensure peace and prosperity.

(c) We should cease all activities for a second. Man has used his arms only to kill and destroy others. Therefore, let them not move their arms so much as to harm others.

(d) The expression “the face of the Earth’ refers to the various countries on the surface of the earth.

3. It would be an exotic moment without rush, without engines, we would all be together in a sudden strangeness.

Questions

(a)Name the poem and the poet of these lines.

(b)What will happen if there is no rush or running of engines?

(c)What sort of moment will it be?

(d)How would all of us feel at that moment?

Answers:

(a)The name of the poem is Keeping Quiet. The poet is Pablo Neruda.

(b)There will be peace all around if there is no rush or the sound of the running of engines and machines.

(c)It will be a very enticing and beautiful moment.

(d) All of us will enjoy the unusualness and sudden strangeness of that moment.

4. Fishermen in the cold sea would not harm whales and the man gathering salt would look at his hurt hands.

Questions

(a)What do fishermen usually do in the cold sea?

(b)What does the poet ask fishermen not to do?

(c)What has happened to the man gathering salt?

(d) What should the man gathering salt do?

Answers:

(a)Fishermen usually catch fish, particularly whales, in the cold seas.

(b)The poet asks fishermen not to hurt or injure the whales in the seas.

(c)The man gathering salt has injured his hands.

(d)He must take care of his hurt hands.

5. Those who prepare green wars, wars with gas, wars with fire, victory with no survivors, would put on clean clothes and walk about with their brothers in the shade, doing nothing.

Questions

(a)Name the poem and the poet of these lines.

(b)What sort of wars are mentioned in the above lines?

(c)What kind of victory will it be?

(d) How should the lovers of war behave?

Answers:

(а)The name of the poem is Keeping Quiet. The poet is Pablo Neruda.

(b)Green wars, wars with poisonous gases and wars with the fire are the different kinds of wars.

(d) They should put on clean clothes and walk with their brothers under the trees leisurely doing nothing.

6.What I want should not be confused with total inactivity. Life is what it is about; I want no truck with death. If we were not so single-minded about keeping our lives moving, and for once could do nothing,

perhaps a huge silence might interrupt this sadness of never understanding ourselves and of threatening ourselves with death.

Questions

(a)What does the poet want? What should it not be confused with?

(b)Explain: “want no truck with death”.

(c)What do people pursue single-mindedly? Which is the better course the poet suggests?

(d)When can a huge silence do us good?

Answers:

(а)The poet is advocating for silence or stillness. Stillness should not be confused with total inactivity.

(b)Total inactivity brings death. The poet refuses to deal with death. Thus, he is not advocating for death.

(c)People pursue single-mindedly on keeping their lives moving. The poet suggests that it would be better if they give themselves for sometimes. For once they may do nothing.

(d)A huge silence can do us a lot of good when we are disappointed at not understanding ourselves or threatening ourselves with death.

7. Perhaps the Earth can teach us as when everything seems dead and later proves to be alive. Now I’ll count up to twelve and you keep quiet and I will go.

Questions

(a)What can the Earth teach us?

(b)What remains alive when everything seems dead?

(c)Who is the poet? What does he want to do?

(d)What does the poet ask us to do?

Answers:

‘(a) The earth can teach us a lesson how to live on it.

(b) The Earth teaches us how we restart our life after a pause and how there is life under apparent stillness.

(c) The poet is Pablo Neruda. He wants to count up to twelve.

(d) He asks us to keep quiet while he is counting up to twelve.

QUESTIONS FROM TEXTBOOK SOLVED

Q1. What will counting up to twelve and keeping still help us achieve?

Ans: Counting up to twelve and keeping gives us a momentary pause to introspect and review the course of action. Keeping quiet and still will give us necessary respite and ensure peace. It will help us to understand ourselves and those around us better.

Q2. Do you think the poet advocates total inactivity and death?

Ans: No, he doesn’t advocate total inactivity and death. He makes it quite clear that ‘stillness’ should not be confused with “total inactivity. Total inactivity brings death. But Neruda has ‘no truck with death’. His stillness means halting of harmful and hostile human activities.

Q3. What is the ‘sadness’ that the poet refers to in the poem?

Ans: Man’s sadness is formed out of his own actions and thoughts. It is quite ironical that man who understands so much fails to understand himself and his action. Man is the creator of all disasters. But he never introspects it. This is the ‘sadness’ that the poet refers to in the poem.

Q4. What symbol from Nature does the poet invoke to say that there can be life under apparent stillness?

Ans: The poet wants to prove that there can be life under apparent stillness. The poet invokes the earth as a living symbol to prove his point. The earth never attains total inactivity. Nature remains at work all the time even under apparent stillness.

MORE QUESTIONS SOLVED

Q1. Why does Pablo Neruda urge us to keep still?

Ans: Stillness is essential for calm reflection and introspection. Most of human ills and miseries are caused by man’s hurry and rush. The poet wishes to withdraw ourselves from our undesirable actions by keeping still for a moment.

Q2. Why shouldn’t we “speak in any language” and “not move our arms so much”?

Ans: People of the world speak in different languages. They indulge in unnecessary debates and disputes. Most of these arguments lead to destructive wars. The poet urges people to stop speaking in any language not move arms to reduce wars and quarrels.

Q3. Pablo Neruda says: “we would all be together in a sudden strangeness.” When can we experience such a moment? Why will that be an exotic moment?

Ans: We must stop rushing, hurrying, worrying and running. Even the noise of engines and machines must stop for once. Then all of us will enjoy the sudden strangeness. It would be an exotic moment because there would be no rush or hurry and there will be silence, peace and calmness

Q4. What does the poet ask the fisherman and the man collecting salt?

Ans: Pablo Neruda is against any kind of violence. He asks the fisherman not to harm whales. He is also against any kind of self-torturing. The man who is gathering salt has hurt his hands. He asks this man to look after himself and take care of his injured hands.

Q5. What are the different kinds of war mentioned in the poem?

Ans: Green wars against the environment, wars with poisonous gases and wars with fire are the different kinds of war mentioned in the poem.

Q6. What alternative does Pablo Neruda suggest instead of indulging in wars?

Ans: Instead of indulging in wars, the people must come out in their best dresses with then- brothers. They should go out for a walk under the shady trees and enjoy themselves doing nothing. This would bring the feeling of togetherness among them.

Q7. How does the poet distinguish ‘stillness’ from ‘total inactivity’? Why does Neruda saw I want no truck with death?

Ans: Stillness means remaining still and quiet for sometimes. It is just not moving arms, not speaking any language and stopping of engines. Total inactivity means permanent suspension of work. It may bring death.

Q8. Why does the poet feel that we should not be so single-minded’?

Ans: People are generally single-minded. They want to focus on only one thing. They want to keep their lives going. They are ever busy in their pursuit. The poet wishes them to have some respite or rest. They too need peace or silence.

Q9. Why do men become sad? How can this sadness be overcome?

Ans: Men fail to understand themselves. They are always threatening themselves with death. When they realize their failure to understand themselves, they become sad or helpless. Only a huge silence’ can interrupt this sadness. Such silence will do them good.

Q10. How might a huge silence interrupt the sadness of men?

Ans: Men never understand themselves. Nor are they ever sure of their actions. Only a huge silence might interrupt this sadness as they will have time to realize their actions and will have time for self-introspection.

Q11. Under the apparent stillness there is life. Justify this statement giving an example from the poem ‘Keeping Quiet’.

Ans: Neruda does not equate stillness with total inactivity. He believes that under this apparent stillness there is life. We can learn it from the earth. When everything seems dead, the earth still remains alive. The earth is never dead. The life on the earth goes on as usual under the apparent stillness.

12. Which is the exotic moment that the poet refers to in ‘Keeping Quiet’.

Ans: The poet talks about the exotic moment when everyone keeps quiet. There will be no rush for a second. The machines must stop for a moment. That moment will be fascinating for all of us. All of us shall enjoy the sudden strangeness of the moment together.

Previous Year Questions

2014

1. What is 'this sadness' that Neruda talks of?2

Ans: The 'sadness' that the poet talks about is ceaseless activity without understanding ourselves that would eventually lead to doom. This mindless activity leads men to self-destruction. But he never introspects it. This is the ‘sadness’ that the poet refers to in the poem.

2015

1. "Those who prepare green wars, wars with gas, wars with fire, victory with no survivors, and walk about with their brothers in the shade, doing nothing."

Questions

(i) What are the different kinds of wars mentioned by the poet in the passage 1

Ans: Answered in Stanza 5

(ii) What kind of victory do they achieve? 1

Ans: Answered in Stanza 5

(iii) What should the warmongers do? 1

Ans: The warmongers should put on clean clothes and walk in shadow holding a brotherly hand doing nothing.

(iv) Find the words in -the passage that mean 'those left alive' and 'win'. 1

Answer: Those left alive – Survivors

Win – Victory

2. What is the sadness that the poet refers to in the poem "Keeping Quiet"?

Ans: See question No 03.

2016

1. "Now we will count to twelve and we will all keep still. For once on the face of the Earth let's not speak in any language , let's stop for one second, and not move our arms so much'!

Questions

(i) How long does the poet want to stay still? 1

Ans: Up to twelve.

(ii)Why does he ask us to keep still and not use any language? 2

Ans: He asks us to keep still and not use any language to achieve an exotic moment and a huge silence without rush, without engines and the other works.

(iii) What does the poet mean by 'not move our arms so much'? 1

Ans: Whenever man has used his arms he has caused undue harm to others. So, the poet uses the phrase, to emphasize the importance of physical inactivity to lessen destruction caused by man in the world.

2. What is the exotic moment the poet Pablo Neruda wishes for?

Ans: Pablo Neruda wishes for that exotic moment when mankind will be free from greed, cruelty and harmful actions. Unnecessary rush and noise have caused unpleasantness and troubles. The poet wishes the noise of engines and machines should cease and peace and tranquility should prevail.

2017

1. "Those who prepare green wars, Wars with gas, wars with fire, Victory with no survivors, and walk about with their brothers in the shade, doing nothing."

Questions:

(i) What are the different kinds of wars mentioned by the poet in the passage?

Ans: Already answered.

(ii) What kind of victory do they achieve?

Ans: Already Answered.

(iii) Who are the brothers mentioned in the stanza.

Ans: The entire people of the earth.

(iv) Find the words in -the passage that mean 'those left alive' and 'win'.

Ans: Answered already.

2. Why does the poet Neruda 'wish to count to twelve'?

Ans: The poet counts up to twelve in an attempt to remain calm and still. He wants to make mankind realise the futility of their mindless words and actions and encourage people to introspect for their own good.

2018

1. "Perhaps the Earth can teach us as when everything seems dead and later proves to be alive. Now I'll count up to twelve and you keep quiet and I will go".

Questions:

(i) What can the Earth teach us?

Ans: The Earth teaches us how new life springs from dead remains, and how there is life under apparent stillness.

(ii) Why does the poet count up to twelve?

Ans: Already answered.

(iii) What will 'keeping quiet' help us achieve?

Ans: Already answered.

(ii) What is considered to be 'an exotic moment' in Keeping Quiet'?

Ans: Answer. The poet refers to the moment of stillness and quietness as an exotic moment. It would be an exotic moment, as such a tranquility will initiate peace and brotherhood.

2019

1. Why quietness would be an exotic moment for the speaker in ‘Keeping Quiet’?

Ans: Quietness would be an exotic moment because there would be no people rushing about; no machines moving or roaring about. Everything would seem still. Such a situation will empty the rush and chaos existing in the world.

2020

1. "Now we will count to twelve and we will all keep still.For once on the face of the Earth let's not speak in any language , let's stop for one second, and not move our arms so much'!

Questions

(i) How long does the poet want to stay still?

Ans: Already answered.

(ii) Why does he ask us to keep still and not use any language?

Ans: Already answered.

(iii) What does the poet mean by 'not move our arms so much'?

Ans: Already answered.

2. What is the 'sadness' that the poet refers to in the poem "Keeping Quiet"?

Ans: Already answered.

2022

Page No: 06

1. Those who prepare green wars, wars with gas, wars with fire, victory with no survivors, would put on clean clothes and walk about with their brothers in the shade, doing nothing."

Questions

(i) What are the different kinds of wars mentioned by the poet in the passage?

Ans: Already answered.

(ii) What kind of victory do they achieve?

Ans: Already answered.

(iii) What should the warmongers do?

Ans: Already answered.

(iv) Find words in the passage that mean "those left alive" and win.

Ans: Already answered.

2. What is the 'sadness' that the poet refers to in the poem Keeping Quiet'?

Ans: Already answered.

2. According to Pablo Neruda, what important lesson can the Earth teach us?

Ans: The earth teaches us that even in times of complete darkness, silence, inactivity, life will still spring up. After the dark and inactive months of winter, life manages to spring up. The Earth teaches us how new life springs from dead remains, and how there is life under apparent stillness.

2023

"It would be an exotic moment

without rush, without engines,

we would all be together

in a sudden strangeness."

Questions:

What does ‘it' refer to?

Ans: It refers to an exotic moment which would be created by silence.

To whom is the poet speaking?

Ans: The poet is speaking to human beings.

What would be the moment like?

Ans: The moment would be an exotic.

2024

1. In the poem, Keeping Quiet, what is appeal made by the poet?

Ans: The poet appeals the people to keep quiet for a short time. This would make the moment exotic and would help them take stock of their mindless activities and conduct self-analysis. All this will help save mankind from its imminent doom.

2. According to Pablo Nerada how would keeping quiet be an exotic movement?

Ans: According to the poet, keeping quiet would be an exotic moment because there would be no rush or movements of cars or sound of machines working. There would be complete silence on earth; everyone would be together in a sudden strangeness. Everyone will be united.

2025

(B) "For once on the face of the Earth

let's not speak in any language,

let's stop for one second,

and not move our arms so much."

(a) Name the poet.

Ans: See page No 1 and Question No 2

(b) "Let's not speak in any language", says the poet. Why?

Ans: See page No 1 and Question No 2

(c) What do you understand by face of the Earth?

Ans: See page No 1 and Question No 2

What alternatives does the poet suggest instead of indulging in wars in the poem 'Keeping Quiet'?