Hornbill The Laburnum Top - Solutions
CBSE Class -XI English Core
NCERT Solutions
HORNBILL Poem-2
The Laburnum Top
Page No: 32 Find Out
1. What laburnum is called in your language?
Answer: In Hindi, it is called 'Amaltaas'.
2. Which local bird is like the goldfinch?
Answer: 'Indian Lutino Ringneck' is local bird like the goldfinch.
Think It Out
1. What do you notice about the beginning and the ending of the poem?
Answer: In the beginning of the poem the tree is calm & silent and in the end it ends with motionless & empty level.
2. To what is the bird’s movement compared? What is the basis for the comparison?
Answer: The goldfinch’s movement is compared to that of a lizard. The basis of the comparison is the sleek, abrupt and alert movements of a lizard. The same kind of movements are observed when the goldfinch arrives on the laburnum tree.
3. Why is the image of the engine evoked by the poet?
Answer: The engine is the source of energy to run machine. It is compared to a bird as it too is a source of energy for its family. As without engine a machine can’t work in the same without a bird its family can’t survive.
4. What do you like most about the poem?
Answer: I like the simplicity and pictorial presentation in the poem. The comparison between bird's movement with machine and Lizard is made in a nice way. Also chirruping & trilling of goldfinch is appropriate.
5. What does the phrase “her barred face identity mask” mean?
Answer: The phrase means that the bird’s barred or covered face becomes her identity mask for recognition.
