Comprehension I: A Nurse’s Song 

Question 1.
Whose voices are heard on the green?
Answer:
The voices of children are heard on the green.

Question 2.
Where is the laughing heard?
Answer:
The laughing is heard on the hill.

Question 3.
Does the heart really take rest? If not, what is the meaning of
“My heart is at rest within my breast
And everything else is still”?
Answer:
The heart does not literally rest. The phrase means the nurse feels peaceful and content hearing the happy voices and laughter of the children playing. It shows a sense of calm and joy in her heart.

Question 4.
Point out the two reasons offered by the nurse to call the children home.
Answer:
The sun has gone down.
The dews of the night are beginning to rise.

Question 5.
How long, according to the nurse, should the children give up playing?
Answer:
Until the morning appears in the skies — that is, they should stop playing for the night and can play again the next day.

Question 6.
The children offer two reasons for not giving up playing. Mention them.
Answer:
It is still day and not time to sleep.
The little birds are still flying in the sky, and the hills are covered with sheep — signs that the day is not over.

Question 7.
The nurse gives permission to the children to play ….. but she imposes a condition. Which is that condition?
Answer:
She allows them to play till the light fades away, after which they must return home and go to bed.

Question 8.
How do the children and the hills react to the permission to play given by the nurse?
Answer:
The children leaped, shouted, and laughed joyfully. The hills echoed their laughter.

Question 9.
List out the rhyming words from the poem.
Answer:

• green – seen
• hill – still
• down – arise
• away – day
• sleep – sheep
• bed – echoed (slant rhyme)

B. Answer each of the following in about half a page. Sit with your partner, discuss and answer: A Nurse’s Song 

Question 1.
Describe the happiness of the children playing in the nature:

Answer:
The children in the poem are full of joy and energy as they play outdoors in the green fields and on the hills. Their laughter and playful voices fill the surroundings with happiness. They enjoy being close to nature, running on the grass, watching birds fly, and seeing sheep on the hills.

For them, the day is still bright and lively, and they are not ready to go home or sleep. Their happiness is pure and innocent, and they want to enjoy every moment of the daylight. Even the hills seem to echo their joy, showing how deeply their cheerfulness is connected with nature. Their carefree spirit and excitement reflect the true happiness of childhood.

Question 2.
Write the summary of the poem:

Answer:
The poem “A Nurse’s Song” by William Blake captures a sweet and peaceful moment between a nurse and a group of children playing outdoors. As the nurse hears the cheerful voices and laughter of the children, she feels calm and content. She asks the children to come home as the sun has set and night is approaching.

However, the children insist on playing longer, saying that it’s still light outside, the birds are flying, and the hills are still full of sheep. Understanding their innocent joy, the nurse lovingly allows them to play until the light fades. The poem beautifully portrays the innocence of childhood, the beauty of nature, and the gentle care of the nurse.

C. Read the extracts and answer the questions: A Nurse’s Song 

Question 1.
“Come come leave off play, and let us away

Till the morning appears in the skies.”**
a. Who said these lines?
Answer:
The nurse said these lines.

b. Who are these lines said to?
Answer:
These lines are said to the children who are playing.

c. Why does the nurse say so?
Answer:
The nurse says this because the sun has gone down and it is getting dark. She wants the children to stop playing and come home for the night.

Question 2.
“No no let us play, for it is yet day
And we cannot go to sleep.”

a. Who said these lines?
Answer:
The children said these lines.

b. Who does the word ‘we’ refer to?
Answer:
The word ‘we’ refers to the children.

c. Why did the children say so?
Answer:
The children said this because they still see daylight and feel it is too early to sleep. They are not tired and want to continue playing.

Question 3.
“The little ones leaped and shouted and laugh’d
And all the hills echoed.”**

a. “The little ones” refers to ——————
Answer:
“The little ones” refers to the children.

b. What mood do the lines convey?
Answer:
The lines convey a mood of joy, freedom, and excitement.

c. What did the hills echo?
Answer:
The hills echoed the laughter and joyful shouts of the children.

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