Childhood Extract Questions | English Class 11

Extract Questions

Passage with linked answers

Extract

Extract 1

Reading Set

Extract 1

Passage

When did my childhood go? Was it the day I ceased to be eleven, Was it the time I realised that Hell and Heaven, Could not be found in Geography, And therefore could not be, Was that the day!

The poet wonders if his childhood ended when he stopped being ____ years old.

eleven

The poet realized that Hell and Heaven could not be found in ____ books.

Geography

What does the poet mean by saying Hell and Heaven 'could not be found in Geography'?

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Extract Questions

Passage with linked answers

Extract

Extract 2

Reading Set

Extract 2

Passage

When did my childhood go? Was it the time I realised that adults were not all they seemed to be, They talked of love and preached of love, But did not act so lovingly, Was that the day!

According to the poet, adults talk of ____ but do not act that way.

love

The poet feels that adults are not what they ____ to be.

seemed

What is the main discovery the poet makes about adults in this stanza?

The poet discovers that adults are hypocrites. He realizes there is a big difference between what they say and what they do. While they encourage others to be loving, their own behavior lacks the very kindness and love they preach about.

How does this discovery affect the poet's childhood?

This discovery shatters the poet's innocent and trusting worldview. Children usually look up to adults as perfect beings, so realizing that adults are inconsistent and deceptive makes the poet lose his simple childhood faith, pushing him further into the adult world.

What does the phrase 'preached of love' imply?

The phrase implies that adults give moral lectures about love in a way that seems superior or official. However, the poet uses it to highlight their phoniness, as their actual daily conduct does not match the high standards they set for others.

ByteNotes

Extract Questions

Passage with linked answers

Extract

Extract 3

Reading Set

Extract 3

Passage

Was it when I found my mind was really mine, To use whichever way I choose, Producing thoughts that were not those of other people But my own, and mine alone Was that the day!

The poet realizes his mind belongs to ____ alone.

him

The poet wants to use his mind in whichever ____ he chooses.

way

What does the poet mean by 'my mind was really mine'?

He means he has achieved intellectual independence. He is no longer just repeating what he has been told by others. He has developed the ability to think for himself, form his own opinions, and make his own decisions independently of others.

Why is 'individuality' considered a sign of growing up?

Individuality is a sign of maturity because it shows that a person is developing a unique identity. Instead of being an impressionable child who follows everyone, an adult or a maturing person uses their own judgment, which marks the end of childhood.

How do the 'thoughts' mentioned here differ from childhood thoughts?

Childhood thoughts are often influenced or dictated by parents and teachers. In contrast, the thoughts mentioned here are original and autonomous. They are not 'those of other people', representing the poet's own personal perspective and his transition to a self-reliant individual.

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Extract Questions

Passage with linked answers

Extract

Extract 4

Reading Set

Extract 4

Passage

Where did my childhood go? It went to some forgotten place, That’s hidden in an infant’s face, That’s all I know.

The poet says his childhood has gone to a ____ place.

forgotten

Childhood is now hidden in an ____ face.

infant's

Why does the poet call the place where childhood has gone 'forgotten'?

He calls it 'forgotten' because once innocence is lost, it cannot be fully remembered or experienced again. As adults, we are so changed by logic and experience that the pure, simple feeling of being a child becomes a distant, unreachable memory.

What is the significance of the 'infant's face' in this extract?

The infant's face symbolizes the only place where true innocence still exists. Since an infant has no ego, logic, or awareness of hypocrisy, they represent the pure state of childhood that the poet has lost, suggesting that innocence is perpetually reborn.

How does the poet's inquiry change in this final stanza?

In this stanza, the poet stops asking 'when' he lost his childhood and starts asking 'where' it went. This shift shows his acceptance that childhood is not just a time period but a state of mind that has moved on from him.

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Chapter sections

Chapter childhood: Childhood | Extract Questions

Extract 1

The poet wonders if his childhood ended when he stopped being ____ years old.

The poet realized that Hell and Heaven could not be found in ____ books.

What does the poet mean by saying Hell and Heaven 'could not be found in Geography'?

Why is the age of eleven significant for the poet?

What quality of the poet is highlighted in this extract?

Extract 2

According to the poet, adults talk of ____ but do not act that way.

The poet feels that adults are not what they ____ to be.

What is the main discovery the poet makes about adults in this stanza?

How does this discovery affect the poet's childhood?

What does the phrase 'preached of love' imply?

Extract 3

The poet realizes his mind belongs to ____ alone.

The poet wants to use his mind in whichever ____ he chooses.

What does the poet mean by 'my mind was really mine'?

Why is 'individuality' considered a sign of growing up?

How do the 'thoughts' mentioned here differ from childhood thoughts?

Extract 4

The poet says his childhood has gone to a ____ place.

Childhood is now hidden in an ____ face.

Why does the poet call the place where childhood has gone 'forgotten'?

What is the significance of the 'infant's face' in this extract?

How does the poet's inquiry change in this final stanza?