Chapter- 3 Have you ever seen…?
1. Q: What is the title of the poem?
A: The title of the poem is “Have You Ever Seen…?”. The title itself is in the form of a question, which immediately catches the reader’s attention. It prepares us for a series of funny and imaginative questions that follow in the poem. The poet cleverly uses this title to set a playful and curious mood for the entire poem.
2. Q: Who is the poet of the poem?
A: The poem is written by an anonymous poet, which means the author’s name is not known. Even though the poet is unknown, the poem shows great creativity and humor. The anonymous poet has used everyday words in a very clever way to create questions that sound silly but are actually based on word meanings and language play.
3. Q: What is the poem about?
A: The poem is about funny and impossible questions that are created using homographs—words that are spelled the same but have different meanings. The poet asks questions such as “Have you ever seen a sheet on a river bed?” or “Why doesn’t the wing of a building fly?”, which make the reader laugh and think at the same time. The poem shows how interesting and playful the English language can be.
4. Q: What kind of poem is it?
A: It is a humorous and imaginative poem. The poet uses creativity and humor to play with words. The poem does not describe real events or emotions; instead, it entertains the reader by showing how the same word can mean completely different things. The fun lies in the way these meanings are combined in impossible questions.
5. Q: What is a “homograph”?
A: A homograph is a word that has the same spelling but different meanings (and sometimes different pronunciations). For example, the word “bark” can mean the sound a dog makes, or it can mean the outer covering of a tree. The poem is full of such homographs, which make it humorous and interesting.
6. Q: What is the “bed” in “river bed”?
A: In the phrase “river bed,” the word “bed” means the bottom of a river, the flat ground over which the river water flows.
7. Q: What is the other meaning of “bed”?
A: The other meaning of “bed” is a piece of furniture used for sleeping or resting.
8. Q: What does “head” in “hammer’s head” mean?
A: In “hammer’s head,” the word “head” means the top or working part of a hammer, which is used to hit nails.
9. Q: What is the other meaning of “head”?
A: The other meaning of “head” is the upper part of the human body, containing the brain, eyes, nose, and mouth.
10. Q: What does “foot” in “foot of a mountain” mean?
A: In this phrase, “foot” means the base or bottom part of a mountain or hill. It is the area where the mountain starts rising from the ground.
11. Q: What is the meaning of “hose” in the poem?
A: In the poem, “hose” means a flexible tube used for watering plants or washing something with water.
12. Q: What is the other meaning of “hose”?
A: The other meaning of “hose” is a pair of stockings or tights worn on the legs.
13. Q: What is the “eye of a needle”?
A: The “eye of a needle” refers to the small hole at the pointed end of a needle through which thread is passed for sewing.
14. Q: What is the other meaning of “eye”?
A: The other meaning of “eye” is the organ of sight in humans and animals, used to see.
15. Q: What is meant by “wing of a building”?
A: The “wing of a building” means one side or part of a large building, usually extending out from the main structure.
16. Q: What is the other meaning of “wing”?
A: The other meaning of “wing” is the body part of a bird or insect that helps it to fly.
17. Q: What are the “ribs of a parasol”?
A: The “ribs of a parasol” are the thin metal or wooden rods that support the fabric of an umbrella or parasol and give it its shape.
18. Q: What is the other meaning of “ribs”?
A: The other meaning of “ribs” is the curved bones in the human chest that protect the heart and lungs.
19. Q: What is meant by “trunk of a tree”?
A: The “trunk of a tree” means the thick main stem of a tree, from which branches grow.
20. Q: What is the other meaning of “trunk”?
A: The other meaning of “trunk” is a large box used for storing clothes, books, or luggage.
21. Q: What is the “teeth of a rake”?
A: The “teeth of a rake” are the pointed metal or wooden parts of a rake used for collecting leaves or leveling soil.
22. Q: What is the other meaning of “teeth”?
A: The other meaning of “teeth” is the hard white parts in a person’s mouth used for biting and chewing food.
23. Q: What does “hands of a clock” mean?
A: The “hands of a clock” are the pointers or needles that move around the clock’s face to show the time.
24. Q: What is the other meaning of “hands”?
A: The other meaning of “hands” is the body parts at the end of the human arms.
25. Q: What is meant by “garden plot”?
A: The “garden plot” means a small piece of land used for growing plants, vegetables, or flowers.
26. Q: What is the other meaning of “plot”?
A: The other meaning of “plot” is a secret or evil plan, or it can also mean the storyline of a story or play.
27. Q: What is “bark of a birch”?
A: The “bark of a birch” means the outer covering or skin of the birch tree.
28. Q: What is the other meaning of “bark”?
A: The other meaning of “bark” is the sound made by a dog.
29. Q: What is the tone of the poem?
A: The tone of the poem is light, funny, and full of wordplay. The poet uses humor and imagination to make the reader laugh while also appreciating the flexibility and richness of the English language.
30. Q: What lesson or idea does the poem convey?
A: The poem teaches us to look at language creatively. It shows that words can have multiple meanings, and when we play with them, we can create humor and imagination. The poet encourages readers to enjoy the fun side of English and understand that language can be both meaningful and playful at the same time.
Answer by Dimpee Bora
