DAV Class 8 English Literature Book Solutions Chapter 9 Couplets

Tracking progress through consistent use of DAV Class 8 English Literature Book Solutions Chapter 9 Couplets is a helpful practice.

DAV Class 8 English Literature Chapter 9 Question Answer – Couplets

Pre-Reading Task

A couplet consists of two lines of verse of the same length with the last two words of each line rhyming with each other. Kabir and Rahim are Hindi poets famous for their couplets.
Recite a few couplets in Hindi (or in your mother tongue) and discuss their meanings with your partner. Try to find out how the poet succeeds in expressing a beautiful ideas of universal importance only in two lines.
Answer:
Do it yourself.

I. Understanding the Couplets

A. On the basis of your understanding of the couplets, complete the following statements by filling in the blanks.

Question 1.
Just as no two watches show the same time, the __________ of different people vary and each person believes in their own __________.
Answer:
Judgements, oneself

Question 2.
The best way to live is to tread the __________ path and avoid __________ on the extremes.
Answer:
middle, bending

Question 3.
Only fools __________ over the forms of government. The most successful government is the one with the best __________
Answer:
compete, administration

Question 4.
Let fanatic people __________ for __________ One who follows the path of truth can never be or aimless.
Answer:
fight, religion, wrong

Question 5.
People might have different __________, religions, aims or ambitions, but __________ is the common concern of the whole __________
Answer:
faiths, charity, society

B. Answer the following questions in about 30 words, elaborating the ideas given in the couplets.

Question 1.
What is the key to a successful life?
Answer:
We should live a balanced life. We should follow the middle path and never bend or lean towards any particular side.

Question 2.
What are the various forms of government? (Mention any two or three). Which one is the best? Why?
Answer:
There are several forms of government like democratic, authoritarian, monarchial. The best is one whose administration is the best and in the interest of public.

Question 3.
What should be the chief concern of the whole mankind? What other concerns divert people’s attention from this?
Answer:
Charity should be the chief concern of the whole mankind. The people should be helped in misery and grief or those who are poverty-stricken. Faith, religions, aspirations, hopes divert them from this.

C. Read the extracts given below and then answer the questions that follow:

Question 1.
He knows to live, who keeps the middle state.
(a) What do you understand by ‘middle state’?
Answer:
Who keeps a balanced viewpoint about life.

(b) How can the ‘middle state’ be achieved?
Answer:
We can achieve this by appreciating virtues around us.

(c) Is this line relevant in a student’s life? Give an example.
Answer:
This line is relevant in a student’s life, because a student should be the first one to appreciate virtues in others.

(d) What other things are required to lead a virtuous life?
Answer:
We should be honest, considerate and should be ready to help the person who needs out help.

Question 2.
For modes of faith let graceless zealous fight.
(a) Why do zealots fight?
Answer:
Zealots are fanatic people. They tight over religious and follow them strictly.

(b) Why are zealots called ‘graceless’?
Answer:
Because they often start fightings over religious issues.

(c) Whose life cannot be wrong? Why?
Answer:
A person who follows the path of truth cannot be wrong, for he is a true human being.

(d) How can we help the zealots attain peace?
Answer:
They can attain peace by not fighting over religious issues.

II. HOTS

Half of the problems of the world will vanish if we realise that each person is right in their own perspective. Discuss.
Answer:
It is true that half of the problems of the world will vanish if we realise that each person is right in their own perspective. Most of the problems occur because of our different ways of thinking, living, eating etc. People criticise one another’s life styles which lead to problems.

III. Life Skills

List five qualities that a good government should have other than good administration.
Answer:
The good government is the one which respects the freedom of individuals. Believes in equality of all regions, do not fight or discriminate over caste, colour or creed and follows the path of truth and honesty.

IV. Values

The joy of giving is always greater than the joy of receiving. Write a few ways in which you can help your fellow human beings who are less fortunate than you.
Answer:
We can help our fellow human beings who are less fortunate than us in the following ways:

• We can lend some money when they need for any important or urgent work.
• We can suggest some ways for their betterment.
• We should protect them from the oppressors.
• We can give our books to them that are no longer of any use for us.

V. Writing Skills

Taking ideas from the third couplet, write a letter to a friend telling the importance of leading a balanced life.
Answer:
D-373, Saket
New Delhi
6th June, 20XX
Dear Rahul
I read an article on balanced life. It touched me deeply. Balanced life is something where you choose a middle path. You should never get inclined towards a particular area whether it may be related to spiritualism or materialism. If we choose a balanced method, we remain in touch with everything. We can look upon our health, family as well as society.
I would also try to lead a similar life which would be balanced and I hope you will also think on this. It is the best way to live a happy and successful life.
Yours
Prakhar

DAV Class 8 English Literature Chapter 9 Solutions – Couplets

I. Reference to Context

Read the extracts carefully and then answer the questions that follow:

Question 1.
Tis with our judgements as our watches, none Go just alike, yet each believes his own.
(a) What does the poet say about our judgements?
Answer:
The poet says that our judgements are always different from others because every person has his own opinion and belief.

(b) How are our judgements similar to watches?
Answer:
Two watches can never give the same time, in the same way the judgement of two persons can’t be alike.

(c) What do the people believe?
Answer:
The people believe that he is right or his/her judgements are better than those of others.

(d) Name the figure of speech used in the first line.
Answer:
Simile: ‘Judgements as our watches’.

Question 2.
For forms of government let fools contest;
Whate’er is best administered is best.
(a) How is a govt formed?
Answer:
A government is formed by the people. The foolish people compete for the position in government.

(b) Why do people quarrel in formation of a govt?
Answer:
People quarrel to get position in government during formation of a government.

(c) Which is the best government, according to the poet?
Answer:
The best government is that whose administration is proved best.

Question 3.
For modes of faith let graceless zealots fight;
He can’t be wrong whose life is in the right track.
(a) What does the poet mean by modes of faith?
Answer:
Modes of faith means different forms of religions which are followed by the people.

(b) Who are zealots? Why do they fight?
Answer:
The zealots are fanatic people. They fight over religions and follow them strictly.

(c) Who is a true human being, according to the poet?
Answer:
A person who always follows the path of truth, is really a true human being.

Question 4.
Author’s like coins, grow dear as they grow old.
(a) How does the value of coins change with the passage of time?
Answer:
With the passage of time, the coins become precious and valuable. They take the form of antique or ancient pieces which people like to have

(b) What is common to both authors and coins?
Answer:
People make them precious only with the passage of time. We read an author’s creation and like to collect old coins only when their era is gone.

(c) Explain the metaphorical use of gold and rust.
Answer:
Gold is precious. Here authors have been compared with coins. They are as precious as gold. As the time advances, authors become more mature and dear. Their writings say something different and send a message to the society and people. Here rust has been compared with the growing age of the authors. Rust is valueless but authors become more valuable at this time.

(d) Does the poet appear to be having a grudge against the society? If yes, what grudge does he have?
Answer:
Yes, the poet has grudge against the society. He feels that the authors have no respect or value in the society when they live. They become known only when they grow old or are no more.

Question 5.
All must be false that thwart this one great end.
(a) What great end is implied?
Answer:
The great end is helping others and improving society.

(b) Relating this line to the Indian context, list a few things that might thwart this great end.
Answer:
in Indian context, superstitions, backwardness, illiteracy and poverty, etc. might thwart this great end.

(c) Mention at least two things that could help achieve it.
Answer:
Two things that could help to achieve it are education and employment.

(d) Mention at least two ways in which young students can help improve the society.
Answer:

• Students can spread literacy.
• They can appear as true citizens to serve their motherland by making a proper form of government and administration.

II. Answer the following questions in about 30-40 words:

Question 1.
What does the poet mean by middle path? Why should it be followed?
Answer:
According to the poet, the middle path is the path where one does not favour or lean towards a particular side. It should be followed to live a balanced life.

Question 2.
Who are aimless in life? How can they make their life meaningful?
Answer:
The people who are fanatic are aimless as they fight on the name of religion while all the religions are rich in values and show the light of truth. They can make their life meaningful by following the path of truth.

Couplets Summary in English

There are eight couplets in the chapter composed by Alexander Pope. He says some wise facts in each couplet.

1. Our Judgements are always different. They are just like two watches which never show the same time. The judgements of two people tend to be different because every person believes in his own.
2. Always be the first person to appreciate the virtues around you. The person who does this at last after others appreciate; his praise or appreciation is lost.
3. The person should lead a balanced life. A person should follow a middle path and should never bend towards any of the sides.
4. Authors have been compared with coins. They are as precious as gold. As the time advances, authors become more mature and dear. Here rust has been compared with the growing age of the authors. Rust is valueless but authors become more valuable at this time.
5. Only foolish people compete for the position and forms of government. The best government is that only whose administration is proved to be the best.
6. We have different forms of religions that we follow. Only unrealistic religious people fight over the religion and follow them strictly. But a person cannot be aimless.who follows the path of truth.
7. People have different faiths, religions and hopes. But at the point of charity all are the same.
8. It is false to obstruct the one who help the others. It is God who blesses us to make improvements.

Couplets Summary in Hindi

इस पाठ में आठ द्विपदी हैं जो एलैक्जेन्डर पोप द्वारा रचित हैं। इसमें द्विपदी के माध्यम से वे एक शिक्षा देना चाहते हैं।

1. हमारी सोच हमेशा भिन्न होती है। वे उन घड़ियों के समान हैं जो कभी एक समान समय नहीं दिखाती । हर व्यक्ति स्वयं में ही विश्वास करता है। अतः उनके फैसलों में भिन्नता होती है।
2. अपने आस – पास अच्छाइयों की प्रशंसा करने वाले प्रथम व्यक्ति बनें। जो व्यक्ति यह कार्य सबसे अन्त में करता है उसकी प्रशंसा समाप्त हो जाती है अर्थात उसका महत्व नहींरहता ।
3. व्यक्ति को एक संतुलित जीवन व्यतीत करना चाहिए। एक व्यक्ति को बीच का रास्ता चुनना चाहिए परन्तु किसी एक तरफ नहीं झुकना चाहिए ।
4. लेखक की तुलना सिक्कों से की गई है। वे उतने ही
   कीमती होते हैं जितना कि सोना । समय बढ़ने के साथ-साथ लेखक परिपक्व होते जाते हैं। यहाँ पर राख की तुलना लेखक की बढ़ती उम्र से की गई है। राख महत्वहीन है लेकिन लेखक समय के साथ ज्यादा मूल्यवाद बन जाते हैं।
5. केवल मूर्ख व्यक्ति ही सत्ता और सरकार के रूप के लिए लड़ते हैं। सबसे अच्छी सरकार वही होती है जिसका प्रशासन सर्वोत्तम होता है।
6. लोग विभिन्न धर्मों का अनुसरण करते हैं। केवल हठधर्मी ही धर्म के लिए लड़ते हैं। परन्तु जो सत्य के मार्ग पर चलता है वह कभी लक्ष्यहीन नहीं होता ।
7. लोगों के भिन्न-भिन्न धर्म तथा विश्वास होते हैं परन्तु चेरिटी अथवा दान की बात पर सभी एकमत होते हैं।
8. उस व्यक्ति को रोकना गलत है जो दूसरों की मदद करता है। सिर्फ एक ईश्वर ही है जो हमें सुधार करने के लिए आशीर्वाद देते हैं।

• Alike – same – एक तरह का;
• Thou – you – तुम;
• Befriend – to be kind to somebody – किसी के प्रति दयालु होना;
• Praise – appreciate – प्रशंसा;
• Commend – to admire – प्रशंसा करना;
• Leans – bends – झुक जाना;
• Zealots – fanatic people – कट्टर व्यक्ति;
• Mend – to repair – सुधार करना;
• Contest – fight, to quarrel – संघर्ष