Warming up !
1. There are many popular lines like :-
- ‘Life is a game – play it well’.
- ‘Life is a journey- keep going ahead’.
Discuss and write down a few such metaphorical lines about ‘life’. You can make them up yourselves.
Ans
(1) ‘Life is an Adventure – Dare it ‘.
(2) ‘Life is a Love – Enjoy it ‘.
(3) ‘Life is a Tragedy – Face it ‘.
(4) ‘Life is a Struggle – Fight it ‘.
(5) ‘Life is a Promise – Fulfill it ‘.
2. Prepare as many ‘acrostics’ using the word LIFE, as you can. Two examples are given below.
You can turn it into a game, using a time-limit. Make sure your acrostics are related to ‘life’.
Ans. 
3. Listen carefully and write the word in the appropriate column.
Teacher : hopeful, lonely, happy, jealous, surprised, shy, loving, proud, cheerful, anxious, nervous, excited, embarrassed, scared, silly, comfortable, peaceful, depressed, enthusiastic, motivated, inspired, threatened, crushed, angry
Ans. 
FACTUAL QUESTIONS
(1) What do sages say?
Ans. Sages say that life is not a dream.
(2) What does rain often foretell?
Ans. Rain often foretells a pleasant day.
(3) What should we do during joyful times in life?
Ans. During joyful times in life we should enjoy life cheerfully and gratefully.
(4) Who does ‘Our Best’ refer to?
Ans. ’Our Best’ refers to our loved ones.
(5) Why are the wings of hope ‘golden’?
Ans. The wings of hope are golden because they give us bright hope to face our future bravely and fearlessly.
…ENGLISH WORKSHOP…
(1) Pick out from the poem two lines each that reflect an optimistic (positive) attitude and pessimistic (negative) attitude.
Ans.
Optimism: (1) Oft a little morning rain, Foretells a pleasant day.
(2) If the shower will make the roses bloom, Oh, why lament its fall?
Pessimism: (1) Sometimes there are clouds of gloom.
(2) What though Sorrow seems to win, O’er hope a heavy sway?
(2) Give other ‘-ly’ adverbs of similar meaning for the following from the poem. Use a thesaurus if needed.
Ans.
(a) rapidly – quickly
(b) merrily – happily
(c) gratefully – thankfully
(d) cheerily – joyfully
(e) manfully – bravely
(f) fearlessly – courageously
(g) gloriously – wonderfully
(h) victoriously – successfully
Pick out three examples of interrogation (rhetorical questions) from the poem.
(a) Explain in your own words the point that each one makes.
Ans. 
(b) Explain the metaphor in the following lines :
(1) Oft a little morning rain, Foretells a pleasant day.
Ans. In this statement morning rain is compared to darkness and gloom in life.
(2) Sometimes there are clouds.
Ans. In this statement the clouds are compared to sadness and gloom.
(3) The shower will make the roses bloom.
Ans. In this statement, roses refer to the good things in life.
(4) Life’s sunny hours flit by.
Ans. In this statement sunny hours are compared to happy days.
(c) Pick out four examples of personification. Write what is personified in each :
Ans.
(1) Oft a little morning rain Foretells a pleasant day – Rain is given the human quality of foretelling.
(2) Life’s sunny hours flit by – Sunny hours are given the human quality of flitting by.
(3) What though death at times steps in – Death is given the human quality of stepping in.
(4) What though Sorrow seems to win – Sorrow is given the human quality of winning.
(d) ‘And calls our Best away’ is a gentle way of expressing the unpleasant idea of a loved one dying. It is an example of euphemism. Think and write down 3 or 4 ways in which we can express the idea of ‘death’ in a tactful and gentle manner.
Ans.
(1) He passed away.
(2) He has gone to heaven.
(3) He is no more.
(4) God has called him.
4. ‘….. and that’s how I realised that courage and hope can help me overcome any major mishap/problem in life.’ Write an episode / experience from your own life that leads to the above conclusion.
Ans.
I was really very upset when I got my 1st unit test mark sheet because I was fail in all subjects. I had to face lots of embarrassment and shame for not being able to pass even in a single subject. I had resolved that I would pass the 1st Semester Exam at any cost in the coming next two months. I had approached to my school teacher for help and indeed they helped me. And the amazing part was that they gave me a trick to study. In that trick I was not supposed to by-heart and practice big answers and long sums respectively. I was very happy to know this. It created a hope in me to study. But I was suggested that I had to keep continuity in studies which was quiet difficult for me. But anyhow I kept that. Due to teachers support and motivation I passed my 1st Semester Exam with 50 %. It was the most wonderful day in my life. Receiving the Mark Sheet from my class teacher I felt so proud and that is how I realized that courage and hope can help me overcome any major mishap or problem in life.