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A Concrete Example Extra Question Answer Class 8 English Chapter 2
A Concrete Example Very Short Questions and Answers
Question 1.
What is unusual about Mrs. Jones’s garden, according to the speaker?
Answer:
According to the speaker, Mrs. Jones’s garden is unusual because it is “full of stones” and has a “crazy path” and a rockery.
Question 2.
How does the speaker describe the size and significance of the plants in Mrs. Jones’s garden?
Answer:
The speaker describes the plants as “delicate and small,” stating “they don’t mean anything at all”.
Question 3.
What specific object in Mrs. Jones’s garden does she think is “rather nice”?
Answer:
Mrs. Jones thinks the “sundial with a strange device” is “rather nice”.
Question 4.
What happens when the speaker asks Mrs. Jones where a “lovely thing” (flower) is?
Answer:
When the speaker asks where the lovely flower is, Mrs. Jones replies that the speaker is “standing on it”.
Question 5.
What is the dual meaning of the word ‘concrete’ in the poem’s title, as explained in the text?
Answer:
The word ‘concrete’ refers to the stones in Mrs. Jones’s garden, and it also has a symbolic meaning as a clear or ‘concrete’ example of Mrs. Jones’s gardening habits.
A Concrete Example Short Questions and Answers
Question 1.
Describe the poet’s general impression of Mrs. Jones’s garden and the plants within it.
Answer:
The poet finds Mrs. Jones’s garden peculiar, noting it is “full of stones” with a “crazy path” and a rockery. The plants Mrs. Jones cultivates are described as “delicate and small,” and the speaker feels “they don’t mean anything at all”.
Question 2.
How does the poet use irony in the poem, particularly in the interaction about the “lovely thing”?
Answer:
The poet uses situational irony when the speaker asks to see a “lovely thing” (flower) that Mrs. Jones treasures. The ironic twist is that Mrs. Jones replies, “You’re standing on it,” highlighting the discrepancy between the speaker’s expectation of something prominent and the reality of a tiny, overlooked flower.
Question 3.
Explain how the title “A Concrete Example” functions as a pun.
Answer:
The title “A Concrete Example” functions as a pun because ‘concrete’ literally refers to the “stones” found in Mrs. Jones’s garden. Symbolically, it also provides a clear or ‘concrete’illustration of Mrs. Jones’s unique and perhaps unconventional gardening habits.
Question 4.
Based on the poem, what can be inferred about Mrs. Jones’s personality or taste?
Answer:
It can be inferred that Mrs. Jones has an unusual and perhaps eccentric taste in gardening, finding charm in items like a sundial with a “strange device”. She also appears to be very proud of her garden and its tiny inhabitants, even if others, like the speaker, don’t fully appreciate them.
Question 5.
What does the poem suggest about differing perspectives on beauty or what constitutes a “garden”?
Answer:
The poem suggests that people can have vastly different ideas about what is beautiful or what makes a garden. While Mrs. Jones cherishes her garden with its stones and tiny plants, the speaker finds them insignificant, illustrating a clash of perspectives on aesthetic value.
A Concrete Example Long Questions and Answers
Question 1.
How is Mrs. Jones described through her garden and her chat with the poet? What do we learn about what she values?
Answer:
Mrs. Jones is shown as someone with unique taste through her garden, which is “full of stones” and has a “crazy path”. She finds a “sundial with a strange device” “rather nice”, showing she values unusual things. She also treasures tiny plants, even if others don’t see them.
Question 2.
Explain the poem’s title, “A Concrete Example.” How does it have two meanings, one simple and one deeper?
Answer:
The title “A Concrete Example” has two meanings. First, ‘concrete’ refers to the “stones” in Mrs. Jones’s garden. Second, it means the poem is a clear, or ‘concrete’, example of Mrs. Jones’s peculiar gardening habits. This wordplay is called a pun and makes the title clever.
Question 3.
What does the speaker think about Mrs. Jones’s garden? How do the speaker’s words make us see the garden as unusual?
Answer:
The speaker finds Mrs. Jones’s garden quite odd. They describe it as “full of stones” and with “little plants between the stones” that “don’t mean anything at all”. The speaker’s surprise at the tiny plants, thinking they must be planted “with a pin”, makes the garden seem very unusual.
Question 4.
What are irony and pun, and how are they used in this poem? How do they make the poem funny or interesting?
Answer:
Irony is when something unexpected happens, creating a humorous effect. It’s used when Mrs. Jones says the speaker is “standing on” the flower they’re looking for. A pun is a word with two meanings, like ‘concrete’ in the title. These devices make the poem light hearted and amusing.
Question 5.
How do Mrs. Jones and the speaker feel differently about the tiny flower? What does this show about how people see beauty?
Answer:
The speaker doesn’t notice the “lovely thing” (flower) even when standing on it, implying they see it as insignificant. Mrs. Jones, however, treasures it greatly and discusses it for a long time. This shows that beauty is seen differently by different people; what one person finds valuable, another might overlook.
A Concrete Example Competency Based Questions
Question 1.
Imagine you are the poet in the poem. How would you explain Mrs. Jones’s unique gardening style to a friend who is expecting a traditional flower garden? Focus on how you would describe her choices and the overall impression you want to convey.
Answer:
“My neighbour Mrs. Jones has a truly unique garden, not what you’d expect.
It’s mostly full of stones, with a crazy path and a rockery. She finds a sundial with a strange device ‘rather nice’. She does plant tiny, delicate plants, but they are so small I wonder if she plants them with a pin! It’s definitely her own kind of garden, full of surprises.”
Question 2.
If you were tasked with designing a public information pamphlet titled “Understanding ‘A Concrete Example’: More Than Just Stones,” what two key messages about the poem’s literary elements would you highlight to help readers grasp its deeper meaning and humor? Explain why these messages are important.
Answer:
I would highlight the poem’s irony and the pun in its title. The irony comes from the unexpected reveal that the “lovely thing” Mrs. Jones cherishes is so small the speaker is standing on it. This creates humor. The pun in “A Concrete Example” refers to both the actual stones in the garden and the poem being a clear illustration of Mrs. Jones’s unusual gardening habits. These elements are important as they create the poem’s wit and depth.
A Concrete Example Extract Based Questions and Answers
1. My next-door neighbour,
Mrs. Jones, has got a garden full of stones:
A crazy path, a lily pond,
a rockery and, just beyond
A sundial with a strange device
which Mrs. Jones thinks rather nice (Page 18)
Question 1.
What does Mrs. Jones’ garden primarily consist of?
Answer:
Mrs. Jones garden is full of stones, small plants and flowers, along with a crazy path, a lily pond, a rockery, and a sundial with a strange device.
Question 2.
How does Mrs. Jones feel about the sundial?
Answer:
She finds the sundial with its strange device “rather nice,” showing her appreciation for unique garden decorations.
Question 3.
What literary device is used in “a garden full of stones”?
Answer:
It is hyperbole (exaggeration) to emphasise the abundance of stones in her garden.
Question 4.
What does this stanza reveal about Mrs. Jones’ personality?
Answer:
She has an unconventional taste, enjoying peculiar and distinctive garden features.
2. My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Jones,
puts little plants between the stones
They are so delicate and small,
they don’t mean anything at all.
I can’t think how she gets them in,
unless she plants them with a pin. (Page 18)
Question 1.
How does Mrs. Jones place plants in her garden?
Answer:
She grows tiny plants between the stones, which seem very delicate.
Question 2.
Why does the speaker say the plants “don’t mean anything at all”?
Answer:
The plants are so small that they appear insignificant, contrasting with Mrs. Jones’ careful attention to them.
Question 3.
What humorous suggestion does the speaker make about planting?
Answer:
The speaker jokes that Mrs. Jones must use a pin to plant them because they are extremely tiny.
Question 4.
How does this stanza highlight Mrs. Jones’ gardening style?
Answer:
It shows her patience and dedication, as she tends to even the tiniest details in her garden.
3. My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Jones,
once asked me round to see her stones.
We stood and talked about
a flower for quite a quarter of an hour.
“Where is this lovely thing?” I cried.
“You’re standing on it,” she replied. (Page 18)
Question 1.
What happens when Mrs. Jones invites the speaker to see her garden?
Answer:
They discuss a flower for a long time before the speaker realises that he was standing on it.
Question 2.
What is the irony in the line “You’re standing on it”?
Answer:
It is situational irony—the speaker unknowingly steps on the flower they were admiring, creating a humorous twist.
Question 3.
How does Mrs. Jones react to the speaker’s mistake?
Answer:
She responds calmly and humorously, showing her light-hearted nature.
Question 4.
Why is the ending of the poem funny?
Answer:
The unexpected punchline—where the speaker realises he crushed the flower—creates a playful and amusing conclusion.
A Concrete Example Extra Questions for Practice
Multiple Choice Questions
Question 1.
Which of the following items is NOT explicitly mentioned as being found in Mrs. Jones’s garden?
(a) A crazy path
(b) A lily pond
(c) Flower beds
(d) A sundial
Question 2.
What does the speaker suggest Mrs. Jones uses to plant her tiny plants?
(a) A spade
(b) Her fingers
(c) A pin
(d) A trowel
Question 3.
How long did Mrs. Jones and the speaker talk about a flower?
(a) A few minutes
(b) Quite a quarter of an hour
(c) Half an hour
(d) An entire afternoon
Question 4.
What does the phrase “A CONCRETE EXAMPLE” in the title refer to, besides a type of material?
(a) A solid argument
(b) A clear illustration
(c) A building project
(d) A difficult problem
Question 5.
Which literary device is defined as using words with multiple meanings or words that sound alike but have different meanings?
(a) Alliteration
(b) Refrain
(c) Irony
(d) Pun
Fill in the Blanks
1. My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Jones, has got a garden full of __________
2. Mrs. Jones’s garden includes a peculiar path, a lily __________, and a rockery.
3. The tiny plants Mrs. Jones puts between the stones are so __________ and small.
4. The speaker can’t think how Mrs. Jones gets the plants in, unless she plants them with a __________.
5. When the speaker asks where the “lovely thing” is, Mrs. Jones replies, “You’re standing on .”
State Whether True or False
1. Mrs. Jones’s garden features flower beds and a fence.
2. The speaker believes the plants in Mrs. Jones’s garden are very significant.
3. The poem “A Concrete Example” has a mournful tone.
4. Irony is a literary device that emphasises the difference between what is expected and what actually happens.
5. A refrain is a line or phrase that appears only once in a poem.
Assertion and Reason Question
Two statements are given- Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Read them carefully and choose the correct option.
Question 1.
Assertion (A): The poem’s title, “A Concrete Example,” uses a pun.
Reason (R): A pun is a figure of speech that uses words with multiple meanings or words that sound alike but have different meanings.
Codes:
(a) Both (A) and (R) are true, and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
(fa) Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
(c) (A) is true, but (R) is false.
(d) (A) is false, but (R) is true.
Very Short Answer Type Questions
Question 1.
What does Mrs. Jones have a garden full of?
Question 2.
What does Mrs. Jones plant between the stones?
Question 3.
What does the speaker wonder about how Mrs. Jones gets the plants in?
Short Answer Type Questions
Question 1.
Describe the various elements that make up Mrs. Jones’s garden, as mentioned in the first stanza of the poem.
Question 2.
How does the speaker describe the plants Mrs. Jones puts in her garden, and what is the speaker’s personal opinion of them?
Question 3.
What is the main interaction that occurs between the speaker and Mrs. Jones in the latter part of the poem, and what is the surprising outcome?
Long Answer Type Questions
Question 1.
Analyse how the poet uses descriptive language to create a vivid picture of Mrs. Jones’s garden. Point out specific phrases or lines that highlight its unique characteristics and the speaker’s perception of them.
Question 2.
Discuss the relationship between the speaker and Mrs. Jones as revealed in the poem. How does their interaction, particularly regarding the “lovely thing,” showcase their differing perspectives and the underlying tone of the poem?
Competency Based Question
Question 1.
If you were Mrs. Jones’s friend, and you really wanted to cheer her up about her unique garden, what would you say to make her feel good about her “stones” and tiny plants?