Poem 8 What If
Text Book Questions and Answers
Working with the poem (NCERT Page 122)
Question 1.
(i) Who is the speaker in the poem?
Answer:
Shel Silverstein is the speaker in the poem.
(ii) With your partner list out the happenings the speaker is worried about.
Answer:
The speaker was worried about the following things
- If she fails in the examination.
- If she gets sick and dies.
- If nobody likes Jier.
- If she becomes dumb.
- If she does not grow taller.
- If her parents get separated.
- If she gets beaten up.
(iii) Why do you think she/he has these worries? Can you think of ways to get rid of such worries?
Answer:
She has these worries because she thinks a lot. Most of these worries are born due to baseless fear. One can get rid of such worries with a strong will power and developing positive attitude towards life.
Question 2.
Read the following line.
Some What ifs crawled inside my ear.
Can words crawl into your ear? This is an image. The poet is trying to make an image of what she/he experiences. Now with your partner try and list out some more images from the-poem.
Answer:
Some other images are
- And pranced and partied all night long.
- What if the wind tears up my kite?
- What if green hair grows on my chest?
- And sang their same old Whatif song.
Question 3.
In groups of four discuss some more тАШwhatifsтАЩ that you experience in your day-to-day life and list them out.
(i) тАжтАжтАжтАж
(ii) тАжтАжтАжтАж
(iii) тАжтАжтАжтАж
(iv) тАжтАжтАжтАж
(v) тАжтАжтАжтАж
(vi) тАжтАжтАжтАж
(vii) тАжтАжтАж..
(viii) тАжтАжтАжтАж
(i) Whatif I wake up late in the morning?
(ii) Whatif I arrive late in the school?
(iii) Whatif the teacher does not allow me to enter into the class?
(iv) Whatif I am punished in the class?
(v) Whatif I meet with an accident?
(vi) Whatif I am alone at night in a big house?
(vii) Whatif I lose my memory?
(viii) Whatif somebody steals my books?
And now write a poem of five or six lines with the тАШwhatifsтАЩ that you have listed.
Answer:
Do it yourself.
What If Extra Questions and Answers
Very Short Answer Type
Question 1.
What was the reason behind the childтАЩs fear in the poem?
Answer:
The child was worried about his future because any mishap can happen anytime in life. There seems to be lack of security in childтАЩs mind.
Question 2.
When did strange things hit the childтАЩs mind?
Answer:
Strange things hit the childтАЩs mind when she was lying on her bed the last night.
Question 3.
What do you understand by тАШWhatif songтАЩ?
Answer:
The тАШWhatif songтАЩ in the poem means what will happen in case such a change takes place in the childтАЩs life.
Short Answer Type
Question 1.
Do you think the childтАЩs fear was unnecessary?
Answer:
Yes, the childтАЩs fear was unnecessary because she was only assuming things. Nobody is sure about future and it is a mystery for everyone. Thinking too much about future is needless and waste of time.
Question 2.
What happened the next morning when the child wakes up?
Answer:
The child wakes up the next morning and everything was fine. She was afraid of many things last night, but felt good in the morning, but soon started thinking what will happen if those terrifying moments appear again in her mind. The child is in habit of worrying unnecessarily.
Question 3.
What does the poem Whatif talk about? Give a few examples of some of the childтАЩs worries or cynical fears.
╨Рnswer:
Children in general have some fears and worries. Their thinking canтАЩt be rational or probable. The speaker gives a long list of some unusual situations or mishaps. These fears haunted her in sleep. She wondered what would happen if she lost her power to speak or got beat up, or got sick and died. Moreover, she might fail/miss the test, or her hair grew green or she was struck by lightning, or a war broke out, and her parents got divorced. By morning she became normal again.
Questions 4.
Who is the speaker in the poem Whatif? What is she worried about? Can you suggest ways to get rid of silly fears?
╨Рnswer:
The speaker in the poem is a girl. She is haunted by fears and worries. These are related to her safety. There is no sequence or substance in her fears. Such baseless and absurd fears trouble us when we go to bed. These are like frightening dreams, only a cowardly or weak minded person entertains such fears. One can get rid of them if one tells oneself firmly to shed all worries.
Long Answer Type
Question 1.
What kind of fears and doubts arise in the childтАЩs mind?
Answer:
The child was worried what will happen if she loses the power to speak or if her school closes the swimming pool. She was anxious if she gets beaten up or if somebody puts poison in her cup. The child might fall sick and die. She might get hit by lightning and she might stop growing in height. There can be other bad situations such as wind might tear up her kite or a war breaks out. It is possible that her parents might get separated and her teeth can grow irregularly., She might not be able to learn dance and tear her pants.
Question 2.
What is being an optimist or pessimist?
Answer:
For a person, being always optimistic is very much essential to lead a happy and healthy life. It is important to understand that life is full of ups and downs. Sometimes we are happy and sometimes sad. There may come different kinds of problems in our life. Instead of being monotonous it is preferred to face the issues and try to find the solution for the same. Optimism always helps to find a key for any kind of problem. If a person continues to be pessimistic, it becomes difficult to live a peaceful life. The person never gets strength to survive in difficult time. Thus, it is always important to be an optimist rather than a pessimist.
Extract Based Type
Extract 1
Directions (Q. Nos. 1-6) Read the extract given below and answer the following questions.
Last night, while I lay thinking here,
Some Whatifs crawled inside my ear And pranced and partied all night long
And sang their same old Whatif song: Whatif IтАЩm dumb in school?
Whatif theyтАЩve closed the swimming-pool?
Whatif I get beat up?
Whatif thereтАЩs poison in my cup?
Whatif I start to cry?
Whatif I get sick and die?
Whatif I flunk that test?
Whatif green hair grows on my chest?
Whatif nobody likes me?
Question 1.
What came inside the childтАЩs mind?
Answer:
Fears and doubts about life came into the childтАЩs mind.
Question 2.
Do you think the child is afraid of death?
Answer:
Yes, the child was afraid of death as she thinks what will happen if somebody puts poison in her cup or what will happen if she falls ill
Question 3.
The speaker suffers from
Answer:
The speaker suffers from a dense of insecurity.
Question 4.
Write antonym for the word тАШcloseтАЩ.
(a) Shutdown
(b) Dumb
(c) Inside
(d) Open
Answer:
(d) Open
Question 5.
Find synonym for the wordтАШflunkтАЩ.
(a) Fail
(b) Mute
(c) Silent
(d) Rise
Answer:
(a) Fail
Question 6.
Give a word which rhymes with the word тАШlongтАЩ,тАжтАжтАжтАжтАж.
(a) Test
(b) Song
(c) Chest
(d) Dumb
Answer:
(b) Song
Extract 2
Directions (Q. Nos. 1-6) Read the extract given below and answer the following questions.
What if a bolt of lightning strikes me?
Whatif I donтАЩt grow taller?
Whatif my head starts getting smaller?
Whatif the fish wonтАЩt bite?
Whatif the wind tears up my kite?
Whatif they start a war?
Whatif my parents get divorced?
Whatif the bus is late?
Whatif my teeth donтАЩt grow in straight?
Whatif I tear my pants?
Whatif I never learn to dance? Everything seems swell and then.
The night-time Whatif strikes again!
Question 1.
Who might get divorced in the poem?
Answer:
The child was afraid that her parents might get divorced in future.
Question 2.
What made the child worried for the second time?
Answer:
The child became worried for the second time when she thought what will happen if those terrifying moments strike her again.
Question 3.
What are these doubts and worries called?
Answer:
The doubts and worries are called as cynical.
Question 4.
Give superlative degree of the word тАШtallerтАЩ.
(a) Tall
(b) Tallest
(c) Long
(d) Length
Answer:
(b) Tallest
Question 5.
Write antonym for the word тАШstartтАЩ.
(a) Begin
(b) Resume
(c) Continue
(d) End
Answer:
(d) End
Question 6.
Find synonym for the word тАШlateтАЩ.
(a) Delayed
(b) Early
(c) Again
(d) Before
Answer:
(a) Delayed
Summary in English
The narrator is a young girl. Her mind is sometimes filled with doubts and fears. At night such unpleasant situations haunt her. She wonders what will happen if she loses her power to speak, or if the school closes the swimming pool, or if she gets beaten up, or if somebody puts poison in her cup. It is also possible that she may get sick and die, or fail in the examination, or stop growing in height, or is hit by lightning. The other such bad situations are that the wind may tear up the kite, or a war breaks out, or her teeth grow irregularly, or she may never learn to dance. When she wakes up next morning, everything looks fine and normal. But her fears return at night again.
Summary in Hindi
рд▓реЗрдЦрдХ рдПрдХ рдпреБрд╡рд╛ рдмрд╛рд▓рд┐рдХрд╛ рд╣реИред рдЙрд╕рдХреЗ рджрд┐рдорд╛рдЧ рдореЗрдВ рдХрднреА-рдХрднреА рд╕рдВрд╢рдп рдФрд░ рднрдп рднрд░ рдЬрд╛рддреЗ рд╣реИрдВред рд░рд╛рдд рдХреЛ рдпреЗ рджреБрдЦрджрд╛рдпреА рд╕реНрдерд┐рддрд┐рдпрд╛рдБ рдЙрд╕рдХреЗ рджрд┐рдорд╛рдЧ рдХреЛ рдордерддреА рд░рд╣рддреА рд╣реИрдВредрдЙрд╕реЗ рд╣реИрд░рд╛рдиреА рд╣реИ рдХрд┐ рдХреНрдпрд╛ рдкрд░рд┐рдгрд╛рдо рд╣реЛрдЧрд╛ рдпрджрд┐ рд╡рд╣ рдЕрдкрдиреА рд╡рд╛рдХреНрд╢рдХреНрддрд┐ рдЦреЛ рдмреИрдареЗ, рдЕрдерд╡рд╛ рдЙрд╕рдХрд╛ рд╕реНрдХреВрд▓ рд╕реНрд╡рд┐рдорд┐рдВрдЧ рдкреВрд▓ рдХреЗ рдЗрд╕реНрддреЗрдорд╛рд▓ рдкрд░ рдкрд╛рдмрдиреНрджреА рд▓рдЧрд╛ рджреЗ, рдЕрдерд╡рд╛ рдХреЛрдИ рд╡реНрдпрдХреНрддрд┐ рдЙрд╕рдХреА рдзреБрдирд╛рдИ рдХрд░ рджреЗ рдЕрдерд╡рд╛ рдЙрд╕рдХреЗ рдкреНрдпрд╛рд▓реЗ рдореЗрдВ рд╡рд┐рд╖ рдШреЛрд▓ рджреЗред рдпрд╣ рднреА рд╕рдВрднрд╡ рд╣реИ рдХрд┐ рд╡рд╣ рд╕реНрд╡рдпрдВ рдмреАрдорд╛рд░ рдкрдбрд╝рдХрд░ рднрдЧрд╡рд╛рди рдХреЛ рдкреНрдпрд╛рд░реА рд╣реЛ рдЬрд╛рдпреЗ, рдЕрдерд╡рд╛ рд╡рд╣ рдкрд░реАрдХреНрд╖рд╛ рдореЗрдВ рдлреЗрд▓ рд╣реЛ рдЬрд╛рдпреЗ рдЕрдерд╡рд╛ рдЙрд╕рдХрд╛ рдХрдж рдмрдврд╝рдирд╛ рдердо рдЬрд╛рдпреЗ рдЕрдерд╡рд╛ рдЙрд╕ рдкрд░ рдЖрдХрд╛рд╢реАрдп рдмрд┐рдЬрд▓реА рдЧрд┐рд░ рдЬрд╛рдпреЗред рдЕрдиреНрдп рдРрд╕реА рдмреБрд░реА рд╕реНрдерд┐рддрд┐рдпрд╛рдБ рд╣реИрдВ рдХрд┐ рдкрд╡рди рдЙрд╕рдХреА рдкрддрдВрдЧ рдлрд╛рдбрд╝ рджреЗ, рдЕрдерд╡рд╛ рд╡рд┐рд╢реНрд╡ рдореЗрдВ рдпреБрджреНрдз рдЫрд┐рдбрд╝ рдЬрд╛рдпреЗ рдЕрдерд╡рд╛ рдЙрд╕рдХреЗ рджрд╛рдБрдд рдЯреЗрдврд╝реЗ-рдореЗрдврд╝реЗ рдЙрдЧреЗ рдЕрдерд╡рд╛ рд╡рд╣ рдХрднреА рднреА рдиреГрддреНрдпрдХрд▓рд╛ рди рд╕реАрдЦ рдкрд╛рдпреЗредрдЬрдм рд╡рд╣ рдЕрдЧрд▓реА рд╕реБрдмрд╣ рдЙрдарддреА рд╣реИ рддреЛ рд╕рдм рдХреБрдЫ рдареАрдХ-рдард╛рдХ рдФрд░ рд╕рд╛рдорд╛рдиреНрдп рдкрд╛рддреА рд╣реИред рдкрд░ рдЙрд╕рдХреЗ рднрдп рдкреБрди: рд░рд╛рдд рдХреЛ рдЙрд╕реЗ рддрдВрдЧ рдХрд░рдиреЗ рд▓рдЧрддреЗ рд╣реИрдВред
Hindi version of the poem with comprehension
1. Last night, while I lay thinking here,
Some Whatifs crawled inside my ear
And pranced and partied all night long
And Sang their same old Whatif song:
Whatif IтАЩm dumb in School?
Whatif theyтАЩve closed the swimming-pool?
Whatif I get beat up?
Whatif thereтАЩs poison in my cup?
Whatif I start to cry?
Whatlif I get sick and die?
Whatif I flunk that test?
Whatif green hair grows on my chest?
What if nobody likes me?
Whatif a bolt of lightning strikes me?
Whatif I donтАЩt grow taller?
Whatif my head starts getting smaller?

рдкрд┐рдЫрд▓реА рд░рд╛рдд рдЬрдм рдореИрдВ рдпрд╣рд╛рдБ рд▓реЗрдЯреА рд╣реБрдИ рд╕реЛрдЪ-рд╡рд┐рдЪрд╛рд░ рдХрд░ рд░рд╣реА рдереА, рдХреБрдЫ рдкреНрд░рд╢реНрди рдореЗрд░реЗ рдХрд╛рдиреЛрдВ рдореЗрдВ рдкреНрд░рд╡реЗрд╢ рдХрд░ рдЧрдпреЗ тАУ тАШрдХрд╣реАрдВ рдРрд╕рд╛ рд╣реЛ рддреЛ рдХреНрдпрд╛ рд╣реЛтАЩ? рд╡реЗ рд╕рд╛рд░реА рд░рд╛рдд рдЙрдЫрд▓рдХреВрдж рдФрд░ рдорд╕реНрддреА рдХрд░рддреЗ рд░рд╣реЗред рдФрд░ рд╡реЗ рдЕрдкрдирд╛ рдкреБрд░рд╛рдирд╛ рдЧреАрдд тАШрдРрд╕рд╛ рд╣реЛ рддреЛ рдХреНрдпрд╛ рд╣реЛредтАЩ рдЧрд╛рддреЗ рд░рд╣реЗред рдХрд╣реАрдВ рдореИрдВ рд╕реНрдХреВрд▓ рдореЗрдВ рдЧреВрдБрдЧреА рд╣реЛ рдЬрд╛рдКрдБ, рдЕрдерд╡рд╛ рд╕реНрд╡реАрдорд┐рдВрдЧ рдкреВрд▓ рдореЗрдВ рдкреНрд░рд╡реЗрд╢ рдмрдВрдж рдХрд░ рджреЗрдВ, рдЕрдерд╡рд╛ рдореБрдЭреЗ рдХреЛрдИ рдкреАрдЯ рджреЗ, рдЕрдерд╡рд╛ рдореЗрд░реЗ рдЪрд╛рдп рдХреЗ рдкреНрдпрд╛рд▓реЗ рдореЗрдВ рдХреЛрдИ рд╡рд┐рд╖ рдШреЛрд▓ рджреЗ рдЕрдерд╡рд╛ рдореИрдВ рд░реЛрдирд╛-рдзреЛрдирд╛ рд╢реБрд░реВ рдХрд░ рджреВрдБ, рдЕрдерд╡рд╛ рдореИрдВ рдмреАрдорд╛рд░ рдкрдбрд╝рдХрд░ рд╕реНрд╡рд░реНрдЧ рд╕рд┐рдзрд╛рд░ рдЬрд╛рдКрдБ, рдЕрдерд╡рд╛ рдореИрдВ рдкрд░реАрдХреНрд╖рд╛ рдореЗрдВ рдлреЗрд▓ рд╣реЛ рдЬрд╛рдКрдБ, рдЕрдерд╡рд╛ рдореЗрд░реА рдЫрд╛рддреА рдкрд░ рдЙрдЧрдиреЗ рд╡рд╛рд▓реЗ рдмрд╛рд▓ рд╣рд░реЗ рд░рдВрдЧ рдХреЗ рд╣реЛ рдЬрд╛рдпреЗрдВ, рдЕрдерд╡рд╛ рд╕рднреА рд▓реЛрдЧ рдореБрдЭреЗ рдирд╛рдкрд╕рдиреНрдж рдХрд░рди рд▓рдЧреЗрдВ рдЕрдерд╡рд╛ рдЖрдХрд╛рд╢реАрдп рдмрд┐рдЬрд▓реА рдореБрдЭ рдкрд░ рдЖ рдЧрд┐рд░реЗ рдЕрдерд╡рд╛ рдореЗрд░реА рд▓рдореНрдмрд╛рдИ рдпрд╣реАрдВ рд░реБрдХ рдЬрд╛рдпреЗ, рдЕрдерд╡рд╛ рдореЗрд░рд╛ рд╕рд┐рд░ рдЫреЛрдЯреЗ рдЖрдХрд╛рд░ рдХрд╛ рд╣реЛрдиреЗ рд▓рдЧреЗ, рддреЛ рдлрд┐рд░ рдХреНрдпрд╛ рд╣реЛ?
Read the following questions and choose the most appropriate option from the ones given below:
Question 1.
When do strange questions strike the poet?
(a) In the morning
(b) In the afternoon
(c) In the evening
(d) In the night.
Answer:
(d) In the night.
Question 2.
What does she mean by What if song?
(a) What will happen if she loses her power to speak
(b) The song means what will happen in case such a change takes place
(c) What will happen if she gets beaten up
(d) None of the above.
Answer:
(b) The song means what will happen in case such a change takes place
Question 3.
The тАШWhatif song haunts the speakerтАжтАжтАж.
(a) only once
(b) again and again
(c) only twice
(d) every moment.
Answer:
(b) again and again
Question 4.
What does the poem reveal about the speaker?
(a) She is bold
(b) She is timid
(c) She is filled with doubts and fears
(d) She is confident.
Answer:
(c) She is filled with doubts and fears
Question 5.
What does the expression Whatif mean?
(a) What will happen in case these happen
(b) What will happen the next moment
(c) What will happen if the earth gets dry
(d) None of the above.
Answer:
(a) What will happen in case these happen
2. Whatif the fish uwonтАЩt bite?
Whatif the wind tears up my kite?
Whatif they start a war?
Whatif my parents get divorced?
Whatif the bus is late?
Whatif my teeth donтАЩt grow in straight?
Whatif I tear my pants?
Whatif I never learn to dance?
Everything seems swell, and then
The night-time Whatif strikes again!

рдХрд╣реАрдВ рдпрджрд┐ рдордЫрд▓рд┐рдпрд╛рдБ рдХрд╛рдЯрдирд╛ рдмрдВрдж рдХрд░ рджреЗрдВ, рдкрд╡рди рдореЗрд░реА рдкрддрдВрдЧ рдХреЛ рдлрд╛рдбрд╝ рджреЗ, рд▓реЛрдЧ рдпреБрджреНрдз рдЫреЗрдбрд╝ рджреЗрдВ, рдореЗрд░реЗ рдорд╛рддрд╛-рдкрд┐рддрд╛ рддрд▓рд╛рдХ рд▓реЗ рд▓реЗрдВ, рдмрд╕ рдЖрдиреЗ рдореЗрдВ рджреЗрд░ рд╣реЛ рдЬрд╛рдпреЗ, рдореЗрд░реЗ рджрд╛рдБрдд рд╕реАрдзреЗ рд╕рд╛рдорд╛рдиреНрдп рди рд╣реЛрдХрд░ рдЯреЗрдврд╝реЗ-рдореЗрдврд╝реЗ рд╣реЛ рдЬрд╛рдпреЗрдВ, рдореИрдВ рдЕрдкрдиреА рдкреИрдВрдЯ рдлрд╛рдбрд╝ рджреВрдБ, рдореИрдВ рдХрднреА рднреА рдиреГрддреНрдп рди рд╕реАрдЦ рдкрд╛рдКрдБ, рддреЛ рдлрд┐рд░ рдХреНрдпрд╛ рд╣реЛрдЧрд╛? рд╣рд░ рдЪреАрдЬ рджрд┐рди рдореЗрдВ рдареАрдХ-рдард╛рдХ рд▓рдЧрддреА рд╣реИ, рдкрд░ рд░рд╛рдд рдореЗрдВ рд╡рд╣реА рдкреНрд░рд╢реНрди рдореБрдЭреЗ рдкреБрди: рддрдВрдЧ рдХрд░рдиреЗ рд▓рдЧрддреЗ рд╣реИрдВред
Read the following questions and choose the most appropriate option from the ones given below:
Question 1.
Which of the fears is not applied to the speaker?
(a) What will happen in case the fish stops biting
(b) What will happen in case her parents get divorced
(c) What will happen in case she gets poor marks
(d) What will happen in case a war breaks out.
Answer:
(c) What will happen in case she gets poor marks
Question 2.
Such silly questions are baseless, stillтАж..
(a) they trouble the speaker every time
(b) they create havoc in the speakerтАЩs life
(c) they develop negative aptitude in the speaker
(d) none of the above.
Answer:
(d) none of the above.
Question 3.
What are these doubts and worries called?
(a) Cynical fears
(b) Inborn fears
(c) Habitual fears
(d) Baseless fears.
Answer:
(a) Cynical fears
Question 4.
What type of people do entertain such fears?
(a) Strong-minded people
(b) Haughty people
(c) Weak-minded people
(d) Mature people.
Answer:
(c) Weak-minded people
Question 5.
What does the word тАШswellтАЩ in the extract mean?
(a) Deformed
(b) Spoiled
(c) Short in size
(d) Large and wonderful in size.
Answer:
(d) Large and wonderful in size.