Landscape of the Soul - Pre reading tasks

Bluebells School International

Class: XI          Reading Comprehension – Landscape of the Soul: Pre-reading                Level 1

Name: ___________________                                                        Teacher: Ms. Geetanjali Kumar

Date  : ___________________                                                                              

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Read the poem given below and answer the questions that follow:

Among these hills and gardens I’ve regained my health

The garden blocks noise and the winds of turmoil

Pristine solitude summons distant winds

My house is on the northern hill

Doors open onto a southern river

A stream eliminates the need for a well

Hibiscus on terraced banks serves as a wall

From my door I view a grove of trees

And a mountain-range from my window

A winding trail leads to fields below

In the distance I gaze at towering peaks

My desires are few, my ease is safeguarded.

Q.1. Why has the poet built his house among the hills?

Q.2. How do we know the house is peaceful and breezy? Q.3. Describe the landscape where the house has been built?  

Q.4. Rephrase the last line in your own words.

Q.5. Find words in the passage that are closest synonyms for the following:

                (a) anxiety; disturbance –                                           (b) pure –

                (c) remove –                                                                 (d) tall –

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Bluebells School International

Class: XI            Reading Comprehension – Landscape of the Soul: Pre-reading                Level 2

Name: ___________________                                                 Teacher: Ms. Geetanjali Kumar

Date  : ___________________                                                                              

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Read the poem below and answer the questions that follow:

At dawn, staff in hand, I climb the crags,

And by dusk, settle among the mountains.

Scarcely a peak rises as high as this hut

Facing crags and overlooking winding streams

Forests stretch before the mountain’s open gate

Boulders heaped round its very steps

Mountains crowd around blocking out roads

Trails wander into bamboo thickets

Visitors lose their way on coming up

Or forget the paths leading home when they descend

Raging torrents rush through the dusk,

Monkeys howl throughout the night

Deep in meditation I hold the inner pattern

Nurturing the way, never severing from it

My heart is one with the autumn trees

My eyes delight in the flowering of spring

I inhabit the constant and await my end

Content to dwell in peace, accepting the flux of things

I only regret that there is no kindred spirit here

To climb this ladder of sky and clouds with me

 

Q.1. The landscape described seems far away from outside activity. Which lines indicate this?                 

Q.2. Why is the poet not distracted by the howling monkeys and raging torrents?                                      

Q.3. Identify any one instance of personification in the poem                                                                      

Q.4. What happens to visitors when they are here?  

Q.5. What is the poet's only regret?                  

Q.6. Find words in the passage that mean the following:                                                                             

           (a) Huge stones –                                (b) Amble –                                         (c) Angry –

           (d) Unchanging –                                (e) Live –                                             (f) Similar –