Std 9 English chapters › Unit 1 · Question Answers ↓ · Take the lesson test ↓
In short: The poet describes hope as a little bird that lives in the soul, sings without words, never stops, gives comfort in the hardest times and never asks for anything in return.
(कवयित्री आशेला एका छोट्या पक्ष्याची उपमा देते, जो आत्म्यात राहतो, शब्दांशिवाय गाणे गातो, कधीच थांबत नाही, अत्यंत कठीण काळात दिलासा देतो आणि त्याबदल्यात काहीही मागत नाही.)
- Type: Poem
- Poet: Emily Dickinson
- Speaker: The poet, describing hope
- Unit: 1
Summary in English
Hope is 'the thing with feathers', a little bird that perches in the soul. It sings a tune without words and never stops singing at all.
Its song sounds sweetest in the gale, that is, in the worst storms of life. Only a very terrible storm could silence this little bird that has kept so many people warm and comforted.
The poet has heard it in the coldest land and on the strangest sea. Yet, even in the hardest times, the bird has never asked even a crumb from her. Hope gives everything and takes nothing.
मराठीत सारांश (Summary in Marathi)
आशा म्हणजे 'पंख असलेली गोष्ट', आत्म्यात बसलेला एक छोटा पक्षी. तो शब्दांशिवाय एक सूर गातो आणि कधीही थांबत नाही.
त्याचे गाणे वादळात, म्हणजे आयुष्यातील सर्वात कठीण प्रसंगी, सर्वात गोड वाटते. ज्याने अनेकांना ऊब आणि दिलासा दिला आहे, अशा या पक्ष्याला गप्प करण्यासाठी खूपच भयंकर वादळ लागेल.
कवयित्रीने हे गाणे अतिशय थंड प्रदेशात आणि अनोळखी समुद्रावरही ऐकले आहे. तरीही अत्यंत कठीण काळातही त्या पक्ष्याने तिच्याकडे एक कणही मागितला नाही. आशा सर्व काही देते, पण काहीच घेत नाही.
Theme and Message (मध्यवर्ती कल्पना)
Hope lives quietly in every heart and gives us strength in the most difficult times, without asking anything in return.
आशा प्रत्येकाच्या मनात शांतपणे राहते आणि अत्यंत कठीण काळात काहीही अपेक्षा न ठेवता आपल्याला बळ देते.
Figures of Speech (अलंकार)
- Metaphor (रूपक): hope is shown as 'the thing with feathers', a bird.
- Personification (चेतनगुणोक्ती): hope sings, perches and never asks for a crumb, like a living being.
- Contrast (विरोधाभास): hope sings sweetest in the gale, in the storm and the chillest land.
Useful Words (शब्दार्थ)
| Word | मराठी अर्थ | Use it in a sentence |
|---|---|---|
| perches | (पक्षी) बसतो | A sparrow perches on the wire. |
| gale | जोराचा वारा, वादळ | The gale broke many trees. |
| abash | लाजवणे, गप्प करणे | Nothing could abash the brave girl. |
| extremity | अत्यंत कठीण परिस्थिती | Even in extremity, he did not lose hope. |
| crumb | कण, तुकडा | The bird ate a crumb of bread. |
| sore | तीव्र, वेदनादायक | It was a sore defeat for the team. |
For the Exam (परीक्षेसाठी)
- The whole poem is one long metaphor: hope = a bird. Remember also personification.
- Revise degrees of comparison (sweet, sweeter, sweetest; chill, chiller, chillest). See degrees of comparison practice.
1.3 'Hope' is the thing with feathers: English Workshop Question Answers
Every English Workshop activity for this poem, as games. Score points, earn stars and challenge a friend on WhatsApp! (खेळा, गुण मिळवा आणि मित्रांना आव्हान द्या!)
🤔 Think as you read
In the poem, ‘hope’ is compared to ___.
Answer: Hope has ‘feathers’, perches and sings, just like a bird. (आशा = लहान पक्षी.)
What does the ‘hope’ bird ask from us in return?
Answer: Even in the hardest times, it never asked even a crumb. Hope gives comfort and takes nothing.
Q1. Match the words to their meanings
🧩 Choose the meaning for each word, then tap Check. One option is extra.
Match column A with column B
Q2. Use the proper form of the verb
👉 ‘Hope’ is singular, so the verb takes -s.
That ___ (perch) in the soul
Answer: Hope perches. Singular subject + verb-s.
And ___ (sing) the tune without the words
Answer: Hope sings.
And never ___ (stop) at all
Answer: Hope never stops.
Q3. Degrees of comparison: quick-fire ⏱️
⚡ Tap the correct form fast!
fast – faster – ___
Answer: Short words add -er and -est.
high – ___ – highest
Answer: high – higher – highest.
brave – ___ – bravest
Answer: Words ending in -e add only -r and -st.
wise – wiser – ___
Answer: wise – wiser – wisest.
hungry – ___ – hungriest
Answer: Consonant + y: change y to i, then add -er/-est.
angry – angrier – ___
Answer: angry – angrier – angriest.
Full answer table
(a) fast-faster-fastest, slow-slower-slowest, high-higher-highest, low-lower-lowest, great-greater-greatest, bright-brighter-brightest, warm-warmer-warmest, cold-colder-coldest
(b) brave-braver-bravest, fine-finer-finest, simple-simpler-simplest, large-larger-largest, close-closer-closest, wise-wiser-wisest
(c) nasty-nastier-nastiest, hungry-hungrier-hungriest, angry-angrier-angriest, naughty-naughtier-naughtiest
Q4. Find the line that means …
🧩 Match each meaning to the line from the poem.
Meaning → line in the poem
Q5. Nature and feelings
🎯 Tap a thing in nature and the feeling it reminds us of.
Nature ↔ feeling
Answer key
darkness: fear, sadness | sunrise / dawn: hope, a fresh start | sunshine: happiness, energy | a rainbow: joy after hard times | dark clouds: worry | a storm: anger, trouble | a light shower: relief | earthquake: shock | a peacock: pride, beauty | dusk: calm, rest | flood: being overwhelmed
Q6. When I scored more than I hoped
✍️ Write your own experience, then compare
In Std 8, I was very weak in Mathematics and expected to just pass the final exam. I practised sums every day and asked my teacher whenever I was stuck. When the results came, I had scored 82 marks, much more than I had hoped for. That experience taught me that steady hard work and the courage to ask for help can change results. I learnt never to lose hope.
Q7. Language Study: personification
👉 Personification gives human or living qualities to a thing or an idea. (चेतनगुणोक्ती.) Which sentence uses it?
Pick the example of personification.
Answer: Only people whisper, so the wind is given a human quality.
Pick the example of personification.
Answer: An idea (opportunity) is shown knocking like a person.
✍️ Describe the ‘hope’ bird in your own words, then compare
Hope is a small, gentle bird that lives inside our heart. It sings a sweet song without words, and it never stops singing. Its song is sweetest when life is stormy and hard. Very few storms can silence it. It has kept many people warm and comforted, and yet it never asks for anything in return.
Other examples: The sun smiled on us. Time flies. The flowers danced in the breeze. My alarm clock yelled at me.
Think and Write (विचार करा, लिहा)
- Describe a time when hope helped you through a difficult situation.
- Why does the poet say hope never asks 'a crumb'?
- Which other thing in nature could you compare hope to? Why?
Online test · 15 questions
1.3 'Hope' is the thing with feathers: Lesson Test
Multiple choice · instant score with answers · certificate for 80% and above · free, no login
शिक्षकांसाठी: धडा शिकवून झाल्यावर ही test वर्गाला पाठवा. प्रत्येक विद्यार्थ्याचे गुण तुम्हाला आपोआप मिळतील.
These are original study notes by englishresources.in to help you revise. Read the lesson in your Balbharati textbook first: these notes do not replace it and do not reproduce its text.