A Concrete Example Class 8 English NCERT (Poorvi) Summary, Explanation and Questions Answers
A Concrete Example – Class 8 English NCERT (Poorvi) Summary, Explanation and Questions Answers
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Introduction to A Concrete Example – Class 8 English NCERT Chapter
“A Concrete Example” by Reginald Arkell is a humorous poem from the Class 7 English book Poorvi. The poem highlights how different people have different tastes and perspectives. Through a light and funny tone, the poet shows the contrast between natural beauty and artificial arrangements.
1. The Wit that Won Hearts
Complete Summary of A Concrete Example – Class 8 English NCERT (Poorvi)
The poem describes the garden of Mrs. Jones, who lives next door to the speaker. Her garden is unusual because it is filled mostly with stones instead of plants. She has created a decorative garden with stones, paths, a rockery, and a sundial.
Mrs. Jones grows very tiny and delicate plants between the stones, which are so small that they are hardly noticeable. The speaker humorously suggests that she must be planting them with a pin because they are so tiny.
One day, Mrs. Jones invites the speaker to see her garden. While showing a flower, she talks about it for a long time. However, the speaker cannot see the flower because it is so small. Finally, Mrs. Jones tells him that he is actually standing on it. This creates a humorous ending and highlights the poet’s idea about exaggerated artificial beauty.
1. The Wit that Won Hearts
Paragraph-wise Analysis of A Concrete Example – Class 8 English NCERT (Poorvi)
Original Paragraph
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.
Word Meanings
rockery – arrangement of rocks
sundial – device to tell time using sunlight
Detailed Explanation
The poem begins with a description of Mrs. Jones’ unusual garden, which is full of stones rather than plants. She has decorated it with artificial elements like a rockery and sundial. The poet finds it strange but presents it humorously.
1. The Wit that Won Hearts
Original Paragraph
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.
Word Meanings
delicate – very small and fragile
Detailed Explanation
Mrs. Jones plants very tiny plants between the stones. The poet humorously says that they are so small that they seem meaningless. The exaggeration that she might plant them with a pin adds humour and shows how artificial the garden is.
1. The Wit that Won Hearts
Original Paragraph
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.
Word Meanings
quarter of an hour – fifteen minutes
Detailed Explanation
Mrs. Jones invites the speaker to admire her garden. They talk about a flower for a long time, but the speaker cannot see it because it is extremely small. The humour reaches its peak when she tells him that he is standing on the flower, showing the absurdity of her garden.
1. The Wit that Won Hearts
Main Themes and Lessons of A Concrete Example – Class 8 English NCERT (Poorvi)
Different perspectives – People have different ideas of beauty
Artificial vs natural beauty – The poem questions unnatural arrangements
Humour and satire – The poet uses humour to highlight exaggeration
Simplicity vs complexity – Simple beauty is often better than artificial design
1. The Wit that Won Hearts
Questions & Answers of A Concrete Example – Class 8 English NCERT (Poorvi)
I Complete the summary
Question:
Complete the following summary with exact words from the poem.
The poem describes Mrs. Jones, the speaker’s next-door neighbour, who has a unique garden filled with 1. _________. Her garden includes a peculiar 2. _________, a pond, and a rockery, along with an unusual 3. _________ that she finds charming. Mrs. Jones plants tiny, 4. _________ plants between the stones, which the speaker thinks must be so small that they are planted with a 5. _________. One day, Mrs. Jones invites the speaker to see her garden, and they discuss a 6. _________ that Mrs. Jones treasures. When the speaker asks where the 7. _________ flower is, Mrs. Jones says that the speaker has been 8. _________ on it all along.
Answer:
The poem describes Mrs. Jones, the speaker’s next-door neighbour, who has a unique garden filled with stones. Her garden includes a peculiar path, a pond, and a rockery, along with an unusual sundial that she finds charming. Mrs. Jones plants tiny, delicate plants between the stones, which the speaker thinks must be so small that they are planted with a pin. One day, Mrs. Jones invites the speaker to see her garden, and they discuss a flower that Mrs. Jones treasures. When the speaker asks where the lovely flower is, Mrs. Jones says that the speaker has been standing on it all along.
II Select the correct option
1.Select the correct option to fill in the blanks for the following sentences. 1. The tone of the poem is ____________. (i) mocking (ii) humorous (iii) mournful (iv) amusing (v) light-hearted A. (i), (ii), and (iii) B. (i), (ii), and (v) C. (ii), (iii), and (iv) D. (ii), (iv), and (v)
The tone of the poem is __________.
Answer:
The correct answer is D. (ii), (iv), and (v) – humorous, amusing, and light-hearted.
The poem uses gentle humour and playful exaggeration to describe Mrs. Jones’ garden, making it entertaining rather than serious or critical.
2 The speaker in the poem is ____________.
(i) Mrs. Jones
(ii) the poet
(iii) a gardener
(iv) a child.
The speaker in the poem is __________.
The correct answer is (ii) the poet.
The poem is narrated from the perspective of the poet, who observes and comments on Mrs. Jones’ unusual garden with humour and curiosity.
3.The rhyme scheme of the poem is _________.
(i) AABBCC
(ii) ABABCC
(iii) AABCAC
(iv) ABBACC
The rhyme scheme of the poem is __________.
Answer:
Answer:
The correct answer is (i) AABBCC.
Each pair of lines rhymes together, creating a simple and musical pattern that adds to the light and humorous tone of the poem.
III Complete the sentences
III Complete the following sentences by choosing the correct answer given
in the brackets.
1. The poet uses the word ‘stones’ in all stanzas in order to emphasise
her ________. (obsession with a stony garden/pride in gardening skills)
2. The poet uses imagery to describe the features of the garden that help
readers _____________. (understand Mrs. Jones’ love for plants/visualise
the garden’s peculiar nature)
1. The poet uses the word ‘stones’ in all stanzas in order to emphasise her __________.
The correct answer is obsession with a stony garden.
The repeated use of “stones” highlights Mrs. Jones’ unusual preference for a garden dominated by rocks instead of plants, showing her unique and somewhat exaggerated gardening style.
2. The poet uses imagery to describe the features of the garden that help readers __________.
The correct answer is visualise the garden’s peculiar nature.
The descriptions of stones, tiny plants, and unusual arrangements create clear mental pictures, helping readers imagine how strange and unconventional the garden looks.
IV Pick examples of alliteration from the poem
Examples of alliteration include “pond… just beyond” and “strange device”.
These repeated consonant sounds create a rhythmic and musical quality in the poem, enhancing its playful tone.
V Identify the refrain from the poem
The refrain is “My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Jones”.
This line is repeated in each stanza, creating a rhythmic pattern and keeping the focus on Mrs. Jones and her unusual garden.
VI Identify lines showing situational irony
The line “You’re standing on it,” she replied shows situational irony.
The speaker expects to see a beautiful flower, but instead discovers that it is so small he is standing on it. This creates humour by reversing expectations.
VII Complete the sentences
Complete the following sentences appropriately.
1. The word ‘concrete’ can refer to ______________ in Mrs. Jones’ garden.
2. The title also has a symbolic meaning, as the poem provides a clear or
‘concrete’ example of Mrs. Jones’ ______________ gardening habits.
1. The word ‘concrete’ can refer to __________ in Mrs. Jones’ garden.
The word “concrete” refers to the hard, stone-like features in Mrs. Jones’ garden. It highlights the dominance of stones instead of natural plants, giving the garden a rigid and artificial appearance.
2. The title also has a symbolic meaning, as the poem provides a clear or ‘concrete’ example of Mrs. Jones’ __________ gardening habits.
The correct answer is unusual or peculiar gardening habits.
The title suggests both the literal presence of stones and a clear example of Mrs. Jones’ strange way of gardening.
VIII The title ‘A Concrete Example’ carries both literal and symbolic
(metaphorical) meaning. Such word play is called a pun. A pun is a figure
of speech that uses words with multiple meanings or words that sound
alike but have different meanings, creating a humorous effect.
• I tried arguing with my pencil but it kept making sharp points. (suggests
the idea of an actual sharp pencil point and strong argument points)
• My pencil and I had a disagreement but we finally got to the point.
(refers to solving an argument and the pencil’s tip (Pun explanation – concept-based)
Answer:
The title “A Concrete Example” is a pun because it has two meanings. It refers to the stone-filled garden (literal meaning) and also means a clear example (symbolic meaning), creating humour through wordplay.
1. The Wit that Won Hearts
Let Us Think and Reflect
Extract-Based Questions
Answer:
It shows that Mrs. Jones prefers unusual and artificial designs over natural beauty. Her taste in gardening is unique and unconventional, as she values decorative stone arrangements more than greenery, reflecting her distinct personality.
(ii) Identify whether the statement is true or false: The garden reveals more about Mrs. Jones herself.
The statement is True.
The garden reflects Mrs. Jones’ personality, showing her love for unusual, detailed, and artistic arrangements. It reveals her creativity as well as her preference for uniqueness.
(iii) What does the poet mean by ‘crazy path’?
The phrase “crazy path” means an irregular or oddly designed pathway. It suggests that the path does not follow a normal pattern, adding to the strange and unconventional appearance of the garden.
(iv) What does the sundial with a ‘strange device’ suggest about Mrs. Jones’ personality?
The correct answer is A. She has a fascination with unusual items.
The presence of a strange sundial shows that Mrs. Jones enjoys unique and decorative objects, reflecting her interest in uncommon and artistic features.
II Answer the following questions
1. How does Mrs. Jones feel about her garden?
Mrs. Jones feels proud and happy about her garden. She admires its design and enjoys showing it to others. Her excitement while discussing the flower shows that she values her garden greatly, even if others may not find it impressive.
2. Why does the speaker describe the plants as being planted with a pin?
The speaker uses exaggeration to show how tiny the plants are. Saying they are planted with a pin creates humour and highlights the impractical and artificial nature of the garden.
3. What do we learn about Mrs. Jones from her gardening style?
We learn that Mrs. Jones is creative, unique, and has a different sense of beauty. She enjoys unusual arrangements and pays attention to small details, even if they are not practical.
4. How does the poem portray Mrs. Jones in a positive light?
The poem portrays Mrs. Jones positively by showing her passion, creativity, and enthusiasm. Although her garden is unusual, she takes pride in her work and finds joy in it, which makes her character admirable.
5. What does the poem tell us about different perspectives?
The poem shows that people have different opinions about beauty. While Mrs. Jones finds her garden beautiful, the speaker finds it strange. This teaches that perspectives vary and everyone sees the world differently.
Conclusion to A Concrete Example – Class 8 English NCERT (Poorvi)
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