Std 10 English chapters › Unit 1
In short: A village child asks the moon for baskets of moonlight to light up the dark road on which his father comes home from the city at night.
(गावातील एक मूल चंद्राकडे टोपलीभर चांदणे मागते, जेणेकरून शहरातून रात्री घरी परतणाऱ्या वडिलांच्या अंधाऱ्या वाटेवर प्रकाश पडेल.)
- Type: Poem in free verse (no fixed rhyme scheme)
- Speaker: A child from a remote village, speaking to the moon
- Unit: 1
1.3 Basketful of Moonlight: English Workshop Question Answers
Answers to every activity in the Std 10 English Kumarbharati textbook (Maharashtra Board), written by a practising English teacher. Read the poem in your textbook first, then try each activity here before you check the answer.
Warming up
✍️ Discuss in your group first: steps for planting a tree, and what your parents do for the family.
Show sample answers
1. Steps for planting a tree:
- Choose a sunny, open place with enough space for the tree to grow.
- Dig a pit about two feet deep and wide.
- Mix compost or manure with the soil.
- Place the sapling in the pit gently, keeping the roots straight.
- Fill the pit with soil and press it lightly around the stem.
- Water the sapling and put a fence or tree guard around it.
- Water it regularly until it grows strong.
| Father | Mother |
|---|---|
| Works hard to earn a living. | Keeps the house clean. |
| Pays the school fees and buys what we need. | Cooks tasty, healthy food for the family. |
| Helps me with difficult problems. | Takes care of us when we are ill. |
| Takes us on outings during holidays. | Helps me with my studies and homework. |
Q1. Complete the sentences using the words from the poem
👉 Tap the correct ending. (योग्य उत्तरावर टॅप करा.)
The child wants to sow small moons of light from ___.
Answer: the city to my village. He wants to light the path between the city, where his father works, and the village.
According to the child, the route of his village is tough and full of ___.
Answer: snakes and scorpions. The road is dark and dangerous, and no bus or cart plies on it.
The child wants a basketful of moonlight on ___.
Answer: loan. He only wants to borrow the moonlight and is ready to give it back.
The child wants to light the dark route so that his ___.
Answer: father returns early. If the road is lit, his father can come home early and spend time with him.
Q2. Write the describing words used in the poem for the nouns
👉 Choose the describing word for each noun, then tap Check my answers.
Answer key
| Noun | Describing word | From the poem |
|---|---|---|
| moons | small | "small, small moons of light" |
| route | dark / tough | "the dark route"; the route is "tough" |
| village | far | "my village is quite far" |
| morning | early | "early in the morning" |
Q3. How can the child solve the problems of his village with these wishes?
(a) “Give me moonlight, basketful or two baskets full, with seeds of moonlight.”
The child would sow the seeds of moonlight on both sides of the path from the city to the village. Small moons of light would grow there and light up the whole road. Then the villagers, who go to the city daily for work, could travel safely at night without fear of snakes and scorpions.
(b) “I want to light the dark route so that my father returns early.”
If the route is lit, his father would not be delayed by the dark, dangerous road. He would reach home early, while the child is still awake. Then the child could spend time with his father and hear fairy tales and stories from him.
Q4. Pick out the lines from the poem that prove the following
👉 Match each statement with the line that proves it.
Answer key
| Statement | Line from the poem | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Father reaches home late, after dark. | "When my father returns home, I am asleep" | He comes home so late that the child is already asleep. |
| Eager to hear fairy tales from his father. | "I too want to hear fairy tales and stories from him" | The child longs to hear stories from his father. |
| Remove darkness and bring light among the darker paths. | "I want to light the dark route" | He wants to light up the dark road. |
Q5. Make words with the suffix “-ful”
✍️ Write at least 6 words ending in “-ful” first.
Show sample words
Words that show quantity (like “basketful”): handful, mouthful, cupful, spoonful, armful, bucketful, plateful, pocketful, roomful, boxful.
Words that describe quality: beautiful, careful, helpful, joyful, peaceful, powerful, thankful, wonderful, colourful, cheerful.
Q6. Find examples of alliteration and repetition in the poem
👉 Decide whether each example shows alliteration or repetition.
Answer key
| Example | Figure of speech | Why |
|---|---|---|
| snakes and scorpions | Alliteration | The "s" sound is repeated at the start of nearby words. |
| sow seeds | Alliteration | The "s" sound is repeated. |
| small, small moons | Repetition | The word "small" is repeated for effect. |
| "O moon" at the start of several stanzas | Repetition | The same words are repeated to show how strongly the child feels. |
| "give me a basketful of moonlight" (again and again) | Repetition | The same request is repeated. |
मराठी टीप: Alliteration म्हणजे जवळच्या शब्दांच्या सुरुवातीचा एकच ध्वनी पुन्हा येणे (snakes, scorpions). Repetition म्हणजे संपूर्ण शब्द किंवा ओळ पुन्हा येणे (small, small).
Q7. Appreciation of the poem “Basketful of Moonlight”
The poem “Basketful of Moonlight” is written by Sunil Sharma and translated from Dogri. It is written in free verse, so it has no regular rhyme scheme. The poem is a child’s request to the moon. The child lives in a far-off village whose people go to the city every day to work. The road between the city and the village is dark, tough and full of snakes and scorpions, and no bus or cart plies on it. The child’s father leaves early in the morning and comes back after dark, so the child hardly gets to see him. He asks the moon for a basketful of moonlight on loan, to sow seeds of light along the path. My favourite line is “I want to light the dark route”, because it shows a small child’s big wish to help his father and his village. The poet uses apostrophe (“O moon”), repetition (“small, small moons”) and alliteration (“snakes and scorpions”). The language is simple, and the tone is innocent and full of longing. The central idea is a child’s love for his father and his wish to spend time with him. The poem also makes us think about villages that still lack basic facilities like roads and lights. I like this poem because it is touching and full of imagination.
मराठी टीप: Appreciation मध्ये हे मुद्दे क्रमाने लिहा: शीर्षक, कवी (Dogri मधून अनुवादित), rhyme scheme (free verse), मध्यवर्ती कल्पना, आवडती ओळ आणि का, अलंकार, भाषा व भावना, तुमचे मत.
Q8. Write an imaginary letter to the moon
Points from the textbook: sign of beauty, symbol of joy, infinite pleasure, urge to compose poems, songs or music.
✍️ Draft your own letter first, using the four points.
Show model letter
Satara,
15 November
Dear Moon,
I am writing to tell you how much you mean to me. Every night I wait for you to rise above the trees behind our house. You are a sign of beauty in the dark sky, and your soft silver light makes even our small village look like a picture.
You are also a symbol of joy. On full-moon nights, our whole family sits on the terrace and talks for hours. Children play in your light, and the elders tell us stories. Watching you change shape from a thin crescent to a full round moon gives me infinite pleasure.
Whenever I look at you, I feel the urge to write a poem or hum a song. I am sure that is why so many poets and musicians have written about you.
Please keep shining and spreading your light, especially on the dark roads where people travel at night.
Your loving friend,
Riya
Q9. Make a wish list for the people of your village, town or city
Use the words: great, wish, share, talk, help, cooperate, communicate.
✍️ Write at least 5 wishes first.
Show sample wish list
- I wish every road in my village had streetlights, so that people could travel safely at night.
- I wish neighbours would share their joys and sorrows and celebrate festivals together.
- I wish people would talk to each other kindly and solve problems peacefully.
- I wish everyone would help the elderly, the sick and the poor in our community.
- I wish all the people would cooperate to keep our surroundings clean and green.
- I wish there were a library where children and adults could read and communicate ideas.
- It would be a great day when every child in our town goes to school.
Q10. Compose a few imaginary poetic lines
Ideas from the textbook: “Sowing the seeds of moonlight”, “Travelling among stars in a galaxy”.
✍️ Write 4 to 6 lines of your own first.
Show sample poems
Sowing the Seeds of Moonlight
I sowed the seeds of moonlight
Along the village lane,
They sprouted into tiny lamps
That glowed after the rain.
Now no one walks in darkness,
And Father’s home by eight.
A Trip to the Stars
I boarded a silver comet,
And travelled among the stars,
I waved hello to Saturn,
And raced with the red planet Mars.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who wrote the poem 'Basketful of Moonlight'?
The poem 'Basketful of Moonlight' is written by Sunil Sharma. It was originally written in Dogri and translated into English.
What is the rhyme scheme of 'Basketful of Moonlight'?
The poem is written in free verse, so it has no regular rhyme scheme.
Why does the child want a basketful of moonlight?
He wants to sow seeds of moonlight along the dark road from the city to his village, so that his father can return home early and safely.
Why does the child want his father to return early?
His father comes home after dark when the child is already asleep. The child wants to spend time with him and hear fairy tales and stories from him.
What is the central idea of 'Basketful of Moonlight'?
A child's longing to spend time with his father, and his wish for a safe, lit road for his village.
Summary in English
A child lives in a small village far from the city. The father works in the city and comes home late every night along a long, dark and unsafe road with no lights.
The child speaks to the moon and asks for baskets full of moonlight. The child wants to plant the moonlight along the road like seeds, so that the path will glow at night and the father can come home safely, and sooner.
Behind the child’s simple wish, the poem shows the difficulties of village life, where even basic things like street lights are missing.
मराठीत सारांश (Summary in Marathi)
एक मूल शहरापासून दूर असलेल्या छोट्याशा गावात राहते. त्याचे वडील शहरात काम करतात आणि रोज रात्री उशिरा एका लांब, अंधाऱ्या आणि असुरक्षित वाटेने घरी परततात; त्या वाटेवर दिवे नाहीत.
मूल चंद्राशी बोलते आणि टोपलीभर चांदणे मागते. ते चांदणे बियांसारखे वाटेवर पेरावे, म्हणजे रात्री वाट उजळून निघेल आणि वडील सुरक्षितपणे, लवकर घरी पोहोचतील, अशी त्याची इच्छा आहे.
मुलाच्या या साध्या इच्छेमागे खेड्यातील जीवनातील अडचणी दिसतात; तेथे रस्त्यावरील दिव्यांसारख्या मूलभूत सोयीही नसतात.
Theme and Message (मध्यवर्ती कल्पना)
A child’s love and worry for a parent, and the hardships of villages that still lack basic facilities. Moonlight stands for hope and progress.
आई-वडिलांबद्दल मुलाचे प्रेम आणि काळजी, तसेच मूलभूत सोयी नसलेल्या खेड्यांच्या अडचणी. चांदणे हे आशा आणि प्रगतीचे प्रतीक आहे.
Figures of Speech (अलंकार)
- Apostrophe (संबोधन): the child speaks directly to the moon. Example: “O moon”.
- Metaphor (रूपक): moonlight is treated like seeds that can be sown along the road, and it stands for hope.
- Repetition (पुनरावृत्ती): words are repeated to show how strongly the child feels. Examples: “small, small moons”, “O moon”.
- Alliteration (अनुप्रास): the same sound is repeated at the start of nearby words. Examples: “snakes and scorpions”, “sow seeds”.
Tip: for the appreciation question, pick your favourite line from the poem in your textbook and say which figure of speech it uses.
Useful Words (शब्दार्थ)
| Word | मराठी अर्थ | Use it in a sentence |
|---|---|---|
| remote | दुर्गम, दूरचा | They live in a remote village in the hills. |
| scatter | विखुरणे, पसरवणे | The farmer scattered seeds in the field. |
| glow | मंद प्रकाश, चमकणे | The lamp gave a soft glow. |
| path | वाट, पायवाट | A narrow path leads to the temple. |
| safely | सुरक्षितपणे | Please reach home safely. |
| basketful | टोपलीभर | She brought a basketful of mangoes. |
For the Exam (परीक्षेसाठी)
- Know that this poem is in free verse: it has no fixed rhyme scheme. Say this clearly in the appreciation.
- The activities focus on describing words (adjectives) and words ending in -ful (basketful, handful, careful). Revise adjectives in Lesson 1: Parts of Speech and build word power with vocabulary practice.
Think and Write (विचार करा, लिहा)
- What facility does your village or town still need? Write a short appeal to the Gram Panchayat or municipality.
- Make five words ending in -ful and use each in a sentence.
- How does the child in the poem show love for the father?
🎮 Practice Games: Basketful of Moonlight
Extra practice for revision, beyond the textbook activities. Play every game, then check your total score and stars! (उजळणीसाठी खेळ.)
🔤 Word meanings
🎯 Tap the English word and its Marathi meaning.
English ↔ मराठी
⚡ Quick quiz
👉 Tap the correct answer.
Who is the speaker of the poem?
Answer: The child speaks to the moon.
Why does the child want moonlight?
Answer: The road is dark and full of snakes and scorpions.
The poem is translated from which language?
Answer: Written by Sunil Sharma in Dogri.
What type of verse is the poem?
Answer: No regular rhyme scheme.
🎯 Figures of speech
🧩 Match each line with its figure of speech.
Line → figure of speech
✏️ ‘-ful’ words
🎯 Tap the word and its ‘-ful’ form.
Word ↔ -ful
Online test · 15 questions
1.3 Basketful of Moonlight: Lesson Test
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शिक्षकांसाठी: धडा शिकवून झाल्यावर ही test वर्गाला पाठवा. प्रत्येक विद्यार्थ्याचे गुण तुम्हाला आपोआप मिळतील.
These are original study notes and answers by englishresources.in to help you revise. Read the chapter in your Balbharati textbook first: these notes do not replace it. Only short phrases from the poem and the activities are quoted, for reference.