English - Poetry Chapter 9: Snake short Answer Questions

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

Question 1.Where did the speaker meet the snake?

Answer:The speaker met the snake near water trough of his house. It had come there to drink water. The speaker had also went there for the same purpose i.e. for drinking water.

Question 2.Why had it come out of its hole near the trough?

Answer:It had come out of its hole near the trough to drink water because it was too hot and the snake was thirsty.

Question 3.Why did the speaker decide to wait?

Answer:The speaker decided to wait because the snake had come first near the water through and he (speaker) was a second-comer.

Question 4. How did the snake drink water?

Answer:The snake went to the water-trough and put his mouth upon the depth (bottom) of that trough. He sipped (drank slowly) the water with its straight mouth.

Question 5.What is the meaning of ‘Sicilian July’ with Etna smoking?

Answer:‘Sicilian July’ with Etna smoking means extreme heat like the one caused when Etna erupted i.e. it was so hot as the volcano Etna in Sicily.

Question 6.What is the belief prevailing in Sicily about a snake?

Answer:The belief prevailing in Sicily about a snake was that black snakes are innocent, the gold are venomous. So yellow-brown (golden) snake would be killed.

Question 7.Why did the speaker like the snake?

Answer:The speaker liked the snake because it looked most innocent. It drank the water peacefully for which it came there.

Question 8.Do you think he had a conflict in mind?

Answer:Yes, I think that he had a conflict in mind. He was afraid of it and also thought that it was a guest which came to drink water at his house.

Question 9.What thing about the snake did appeal him most?

Answer:It came to the poet’s house to drink water as a guest. It came calmly for the purpose and departed peacefully being satisfied, had appealed him most.

Question 10.Why did he not like it going back to the dark hole?

Answer:The poet did not like it going back to the dark hole because he was just thinking about the snake that it was just like a guest and as such like a god.

Question 11.What was his reaction after hitting the snake?

Answer:He (the speaker) regretted after hitting it (snake). He felt that he had done wrong. How mean, how much uncivilized was his act. By doing so he had committed a sin, was his reaction.

Question 12.Why did the speaker consider it “a king in exile”?

Answer:The speaker considered it ‘a king in exile’ because it was peaceful and had done nothing wrong with him. He was his guest as well. Its look was like a king in exile. It did not misuse its power.