THE NIGHT MAIL
SECTION
A: MCQS ANSEWERS-
1. C) turn their heads and stare at her.
2. B) She wants to tell everyone of her
arrival.
3. D) the coaches were without
passengers.
4. A) it uses coal to get power and
emits smoke.
5. C) personifications
6. A) journey of life.
7. D) all the above.
8. D) all the above
9. D) she does not have human
passengers.
SECTION
B: CONTEXTUAL QUESTIONS
I.
Read the extract given below and
answer the questions that follow:
This is the night mail crossing the
border,
Bringing
------------------------------------order,
Letters
for------------------------------------------poor,
The
shop at the corner, the girl next door.
i)Why
has the poet used ‘this’ in the first line of the extract? What does the poet
mean by a night mail?
Ans:
The
poet has used ‘this’ in the first line of the extract to draw the reader’s
attention to the night mail. A night mail is a mail train travelling across the
length of Britain at night so as to ensure quick delivery of mail.
ii)According
to the extract what does the Night mail brings and for whom?
Ans:
According to the extract the night mail brings Cheques, postal orders and
letters for everyone whether it is rich or poor, people like the shopkeeper of
the corner store as well as the girl next door.
iii)How
is the night mail different from regular trains?
Ans:
The night mail is different from the regular trains as it only carried the mail
and no passengers. It is operated during the night and used to travel all
night. It is the mail train delivering the mail on time with speedy and in
efficient way, regularly.
iv)The
extract shows that the night mail does not discriminate among people. How?
Ans:
The night mail does not discriminate among people as it delivers the letters to
everyone – to rich and poor, people like the shopkeeper of the corner store to
the girl of next door.
v)Give
two examples of the use of rhymes in the extract. What role do they play in the
poem?
Ans:
border/order and poor/door. The rhymes reflect the rhythm of the train’s
wheels, picking up speed to a breathless pace before slowing down.
II.
Pulling up Beattock, a steady climb;
The
----------------------------------------on time.
Past
cotton--------------------------------------boulder
Shoveling
white steam over her shoulder.
i)Who
is the poet talking about? What is a gradient and it is against whom?
Ans:
The poet is talking about the Night Mail. The gradient is the uphill slop on
the train’s route. The night mail is in motion on uphill slope that provides
resistance/against to the train, yet the night mail reaches on time regularly.
ii)What
are the qualities of the night mail as indicated in this extract?
Ans:
The qualities of the night mail are indicated as steady, dependable, on time,
regular, shoveling white steam, powerful and fast; facing all the challenges.
iii)Why
does the poet call the train’s climb as steady’?
Ans:
The poet calls the train’s climb as steady to show that the night mail is
moving up the slope smoothly and without difficulty. It means that the train is
not struggling while climbing the uphill slope but moves with the constant
speed steadily.
iv)What
does shoveling white steam over her shoulder’ mean?
Ans;
White steam means that the white smoke from the chimney of the train is
appearing as the train moves fast as a result its smoke appear to be pushed
behind towards the coaches like lady Shoveling snow over her shoulder.
v)How
has poet used personification in this extract?
Ans:
The poet has used the personification in this extract by describing the night
mail train as if it were a person. The poet attributes the human qualities to
the train, suggesting that the train is like human being struggling against the
daily life; doing the task regularly to survive in this world. It refers to it
as a woman by calling ‘she’ and ‘her’ on a number of occasions.
III.
Down freshens, her climb is done.
Down
towards--------------------------descends,
Towards
---------------------------------------------cranes
Towards
-----------------------------------------------------furnaces
Set on the -----------------------------------------------------------chessmen.
All Scotland
--------------------------------------------------------------her;
In
dark-------------------------------------------------------------------------lochs
Men long for news.
i)What
is meant by her climb is done? Where is she now headed towards?
Ans:
Her climb is done means that the night mail train has completed its ascents up
the slope and has reached the top of the hill and moving towards its
destination. She is now heading down towards Glasgow a city in Scotland.
ii)What
does the repetition of the consonant ‘d’ in the first two line of the extract
indicate?
Ans;
The repetition of the consonant ‘d’ helps with the overall rhythm of the poem,
especially in its transition to moving downhill instead of the steady climb.
The people of Scotland wait for the night mail because it is going to bring
news and gossip for them.
iii)Which
figure of speech is used in the following line? Explain its usage. Set on the
dark plain like gigantic
chessmen.
Ans:
Simile is used in the above line. Here he describes a huge furnace of the
industrial area of Aberdeen. The factory furnaces look like gigantic chessmen.
iv)Explain
in your own words the meaning of all Scotland waits for her’?
Ans;
All Scotland waits for her means Scotland waits for the arrival of the mail
train as it brings news from far. So everyone from Scotland waits for letters
bills, postal orders etc. the news and the information are brought by the mail
train for all. So all Scotland waits for her.
v)Which
theme of the poem is reflected in this extract? Explain briefly.
Ans:
The theme of the poem ‘anticipation’ is reflected in this extract as everyone
waits for the mail train to deliver the information in various forms. So
feeling of expectation of some news from the dear and near ones. So people of
Scotland longs for the news and information from the loved ones which brings
happiness, joys and sorrows by the night mail train.
IV-Asleep
in granite Aberdeen,
They
------------------------------dreams,
But
shall-----------------------------------letters,
And
none will-----------------------------------knock
Without
a---------------------------------------------heart,
For
who can bear to feel himself forgotten?’
i)What
were people doing while the night mail was travelling through different cities?
Ans:
When the night mail was travelling through different cities, people were in
deep sleep, undisturbed by the sound of the night mail. They continued to dream
about monsters as well as joyful outings.
ii)What
sort of dreams do these people have? What are these dreams symbolic of?
Ans:
These people have the dreams of terrifying monsters and pleasant dreams of
enjoying tea beside the bandstands at Cranston’s or Crawford. These dreams are
symbolic of deep rooted fears as well as desires.
iii)What
would happen to their heartbeat on hearing the postman’s knock? Why?
Ans:
The poem suggests that upon hearing the postman’s knock the people would
experience a quickening of the heart. Because they eagerly wait for the letters
so their heart beats grow faster in anticipation of receiving mail- letters,
postal orders and news from families, friends and establishments.
iv)If
the postman does not bring them letters, what would be the feelings of the
people?
Ans:
If the postman does not bring them letters then the people feel disappointed
and forgotten at not being remembered by others. So they feel isolated and
disconnected from their loved one.
v)Explain
how does the night mail help to promote human relations?
Ans:
The night mail train is the symbol of communication and connection between the
people living in different parts of Scotland. As the train arrives through
different cities and town it brings news and information from the loved one. So
the night mail brings closet to each other. It provides the human need to be
connected with. It provides the unity and sense of closeness with the loved
one.
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