First Flight Poem ch02 Fire and Ice - CBSE Test Papers

CBSE Test Paper 01
Fire and Ice
  1. For Frost, what do fire and ice stand for?
  2. Write the sum and substance of the poem Fire and Ice.
  3. For the poet of Fire and Ice, destruction of the world by ice is greater than that by fire. What does ice stand for? How is it sufficient to bring destruction?
  4. What deep meaning does the poem 'Fire and Ice' carry in it?
  5. Read the stanza given below and answer the following questions: (4x1 = 4 marks)
    But if it had to perish twice
    I think I know enough of hate
    To say that for destruction ice
    Is also great
    And would suffice.
    1. What does ‘it’ refer to in the first line?
    2. Which word is a synonym of ruin in the above lines?
    3. What does the poet know enough?
    4. What will be the effect of ice?
  6. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow: (1 × 4 = 4)
    Some say the world will end in fire
    Some say in ice
    From what I've tasted of desire
    I hold with those who favour fire.
    1. Name the poem and the poet from which the above-noted stanza has been taken.
    2. What do “fire” and “ice” represent?
    3. What is the rhyming scheme of the stanza?
    4. Which, out of fire and ice, does the poet favour responsible for the end of the world?
CBSE Test Paper 01
Fire and Ice
Solution
  1. The word ‘fire’ stands for 'desire'. In the poem, it indicates all types of greed and lust to have more and more possessions. The word ‘ice’ in the poem indicates 'hatred and indifference' which is as cold as ‘ice’. Unlike fire, it grows slowly but can be more destructive and is sufficient to devastate the world twice. 
  2. The crystal clear message that the poet is trying to give is that nothing in this world is eternal. Everything will perish either in fire or in ice. The consequences of desire and hatred are tangible in the poem. We should, thus, not forget this supreme reality and keep ourselves above all selfish matters to prevent our globe and humanity from perishing.
  3. 'Ice’ symbolises 'hatred'. Hate is powerful as desire and maybe, more powerful and ferocious than it. While desire consumes quickly, hate can occur and linger in people’s minds and hearts for years and sometimes even lifetimes. Hate consumes the hater perhaps even more than the person or groups. Thus the hate is sufficient to bring destruction.
  4. In the poem, 'Fire and Ice', the poet, presents the two of the darkest traits of humanity, hatred and lust or desire. Of the two, he attributes, the greater of the two evils is desire. In giving desire the foremost position with regard to the destruction of the world, he provides a powerful statement on the subject of greed and jealousy. He says that lust is above all the traits of humanity and is most likely to lead to its demise. Desire represents the greatest problem that attributes to the cause of war. He then attributes hatred with the same capacity to do harm. However, he lessens the relative importance of hatred but still presents it as having the ability to lead to the destruction of the world if it were to happen for a second time, as there is enough hatred in the world.
    1. ‘It’ refers to the end of the world.
    2. It is destruction.
    3. The poet knows enough of hate.
    4. The ice will perish the world.
    1. The above-noted stanza has been taken from the poem “Fire and Ice” and the poet is Robert Frost.
    2. Fire represents desire/lust and ice represents hatred.
    3. The rhyming scheme of the stanza is abaa.
    4. The poet favours fire i.e. desire/lust responsible for the end of the world.