Read the following lines carefully:

A. What is the boy now, who has lost his ball,
What, what is he to do? I saw it go
Merrily bouncing, down the street, and then
Merrily over – there it is in the water!

1. The repetition of the word ‘what’ mainly conveys:

a) Anger

b) Confusion and helplessness

c) Excitement

d) Indifference

2. The poet’s description of the ball moving ‘merrily’ suggests:

a) The boy’s joy

b) Carelessness of fate

c) Playfulness of nature

d) Speed of movement

3. Why does the poet focus on the moment of loss rather than recovery?

4. How do these lines reflect the boy’s first confrontation with loss?

5. Explain the philosophical idea implied by the ball going into the water.

B. No use to say ‘O there are other balls’:
An ultimate shaking grief fixes the boy
As he stands rigid, trembling, staring down
All his young days into the harbour where
His ball went.

1. The phrase ‘ultimate shaking grief’ highlights:

a) Temporary sadness

b) Physical weakness

c) Deep emotional shock

d) Anger

2. The boy staring into the harbour symbolises:

a) Hope

b) Reflection on loss

c) Fear of water

d) Curiosity

3. Why does the poet reject the idea of replacing the lost ball?

4. How does the boy’s reaction indicate emotional maturity?

5. What does the harbour symbolise in the context of the poem?

C. The boy is learning, though the loss of ball,
What it is to lose a thing, to know what loss is,
What it is to lose money, or a watch, or a name,
Or a world of one’s own, and to learn how to stand up.

1. The loss of the ball is used as a metaphor for:

a) Childhood games

b) Emotional pain

c) Life’s inevitable losses

d) Financial loss

2. The phrase ‘learn how to stand up’ suggests:

a) Physical strength

b) Emotional resilience

c) Rebellion

d) Independence from parents

3. How does the poet connect childhood loss with adult experiences?

4. What philosophical message do these lines convey about life?

5. Why is the process of learning emphasised more than consolation?

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Answer key

RTC 1

1. b) Confusion and helplessness

2. b) Carelessness of fate

3. The poet focuses on loss to highlight the emotional impact and learning that comes from it rather than material recovery.

4. These lines show the boy’s shock and inability to react, marking his first real experience of loss.

5. The water symbolizes the irreversibility of loss and the inevitability of life’s experiences.

RTC-2

1. c) Deep emotional shock

2. b) Reflection on loss

3. Replacing the ball would undermine the emotional lesson the boy is meant to learn about loss.

4. His silent acceptance and reflection show emotional maturity rather than childish crying.

5. The harbour symbolizes accumulated losses and memories that shape one’s life.

RTC-3

1. c) Life’s inevitable losses

2. b) Emotional resilience

3. The poet shows that early losses prepare individuals for greater losses in adulthood.

4. Life involves inevitable loss, and growth lies in learning to endure and move forward.

5. Learning is emphasized because understanding loss builds strength and maturity.