ICSE Class 10 English Solutions I Believe [Poem]
Passage 1
Question 1.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:
I believe if a pebble is thrown upwards
I can pierce the heavens
And see the angels at play.
I believe I can soar to the heights
Touch the silky clouds
And feel the stars.
Who is the ‘I’ mentioned in the poem? What is his/her belief?
Answer:
The ‘I’ mentioned in the poem is the poet Brucellish K. Sangma. She believes that if a pebble is thrown upwards, it has the ability to cut through the heaven. She also believes that she has the ability to fly to the sky above and touch the clouds and the stars in it.
Question 2.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:
I believe if a pebble is thrown upwards
I can pierce the heavens
And see the angels at play.
I believe I can soar to the heights
Touch the silky clouds
And feel the stars.
How many things does the speaker believe she can achieve in this extract?
Answer:
In this extract, the speaker mentions believing five things in all. Being able to piercing the heavens with a single pebble thrown up, seeing the angles at play, soaring to the heights, touching the clouds and feeling the stars.
Question 3.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:
I believe if a pebble is thrown upwards
I can pierce the heavens
And see the angels at play.
I believe I can soar to the heights
Touch the silky clouds
And feel the stars.
What is the symbolic meaning of the ‘heavens’ and the ‘clouds’ mentioned in the extract?
Answer:
The words ‘heavens’ and ‘clouds’ represent the highest points that one could reach. The word ‘clouds’ stands for physical heights while the word ‘heavens’ stands for spiritual heights. By mentioning them the poet expresses her belief that she has the ability to excel in all spheres.
Question 4.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:
I believe if a pebble is thrown upwards
I can pierce the heavens
And see the angels at play.
I believe I can soar to the heights
Touch the silky clouds
And feel the stars.
Draw parallels between the speaker’s past life and the beliefs talked about in the extract.
Answer:
The speaker Brucellish K. Sangma hailed from a small community in Meghalaya. In the village where she was brought up she grew up with limited resources. Despite all odds she managed to acquire good education and become a poet. The beliefs talked about in the extract imply that nothing is impossible if a person set’s his or her heart and mind to achieving it.
Passage 2
Question 1.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:
I believe I can dive
Right into the depths
And swim with the sharks.
I believe I can claw into the earth’s belly
Pick up the priceless gems
And adorn myself with them.
Explain the first stanza of the extract.
Answer:
In the first stanza of the extract, the poet mentions diving to the bottom of the sea and swimming with the sharks; an act which is generally impossible. However, the poet says that she believes she can achieve this seemingly impossible task too. Through these words she stresses that nothing can stand as a limitation before a determined person.
Question 2.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:
I believe I can dive
Right into the depths
And swim with the sharks.
I believe I can claw into the earth’s belly
Pick up the priceless gems
And adorn myself with them.
What does ‘clawing into the earth’s belly’ mean? What does the poet want to achieve by doing this?
Answer:
The earth’s belly is the center of the earth. It is the core of the earth which is not only a seat for molten lava but also is a store house of precious resources like minerals, metals and gemstones. The poet believes that she can dig into the earth and reach this core and use the gems she finds there to adorn herself.
Question 3.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:
I believe I can dive
Right into the depths
And swim with the sharks.
I believe I can claw into the earth’s belly
Pick up the priceless gems
And adorn myself with them.
Does the poet come across as self-possessed in the second stanza of the extract? Justify.
Answer:
No. Though the poet’s wish to adorn herself with priceless gems may seem as a self possessed desire, it is important to note the phrase ‘claw into the earth’s belly’ preceding it. This phrase tells us that the poet is ready to strive towards achieving her reward which are the ‘priceless gems’.
Question 4.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:
I believe I can dive
Right into the depths
And swim with the sharks.
I believe I can claw into the earth’s belly
Pick up the priceless gems
And adorn myself with them.
What do the above lines symbolise?
Answer:
The given stanzas talk about braving deadly sharks and clawing into the earth’s belly. This is symbolic of the difficulties that a person has to undergo in his or her life. The poet believes that she has the courage to face all the hardships that come her way just like a professional swimmer who would not fear swimming in perilous waters. She also believes that through her perseverance and hard work, she will be able to achieve great things (likened to priceless gems) in life.
Passage 3
Question 1.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:
I believe I can do many things
Amidst the human angels
Surrounded by the world’s treasures.
But I firmly believe I’ve to complete
The role assigned to me here
Where I dream and breathe.
Whom does the speaker refer to as ‘human angels’?
Answer:
IIn the first stanza the poet talks about reaching the heavens and seeing the angels living there. In the stanzas that follow she praises the beauty on earth and talks about achieving great things here. Therefore, we can conclude that the ‘human angels’ mentioned here are the humans who live on this beautiful earth.
Question 2.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:
I believe I can do many things
Amidst the human angels
Surrounded by the world’s treasures.
But I firmly believe I’ve to complete
The role assigned to me here
Where I dream and breathe.
What is the final and the most important belief of the speaker?
Answer:
The final and the most important belief of the speaker is that she has a role assigned to her on this earth and that it is her duty to complete this role before dreaming about anything else.
Question 3.
Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:
I believe I can do many things
Amidst the human angels
Surrounded by the world’s treasures.
But I firmly believe I’ve to complete
The role assigned to me here
Where I dream and breathe.
What does the final stanza of the poem tell us about the speaker?
Answer:
The final stanza of the poem reflects that the poet has a well-grounded character. Though she dreams about reaching the heavens and the depths of the earth and the ocean, she also believes in having a healthy relationship with the people around her and sharing a happy life with them. She strongly believes that every person has a role to play in this life and it is their duty to be true to that role.