CBSE Class VII English (Poorvi) Unit 1: Learning Together — Try Again Questions and Answers

TRY AGAIN - Chapter 2: Learning Together

Let us do these activities before we read

I. Who inspires you to do your best?

My parents, teachers, and historical figures or nature (like the spider in the poem) inspire me to work hard, stay determined, and give my best effort even when things are difficult.

II. Work in pairs, identify what you see in the pictures given below. What can we learn from them? Share your answers with your classmates and the teacher.

Picture 1: A beehive hanging on a branch with bees working together.

Answer 1: We see honeybees building a beehive together on a tree branch. We learn unity, hard work, and teamwork from them.

Picture 2: A spider carefully constructing its web.

Answer 2: We see a spider spinning a detailed, strong web. We learn patience, skill, and continuous perseverance.

Picture 3: Geese flying in formation.

Answer 3: We see a group of birds (geese) flying together in a formation. We learn cooperation, leadership, and supporting each other.

Picture 4: A weaver bird repairing or building its nest.

Answer 4: We see a bird carefully weaving its nest on a branch. We learn craftsmanship, dedication, and building a safe home with effort.

Picture 5: Ants marching in line.

Answer 5: We see a line of ants marching together in discipline. We learn discipline, order, planning ahead, and strong work ethic.

Picture 6: An apple tree full of fruits.

Answer 6: We see an apple tree bearing many healthy fruits. We learn generosity, patience, and how hard work yields sweet rewards.

Let us discuss

I. Complete the summary of the poem by filling in the blanks with suitable words from the text given in the box below. Share your answers with the teacher.

The poem, written in a narrative style, tells the story of King Bruce of Scotland, who was feeling 1. low to achieve something 2. great for his people. In a moment of 3. despair, after failing multiple times, he observed a spider trying to reach its web high above. The spider 4. mounted every time it fell after getting close to its goal. It made nine 5. attempts and finally succeeded. The king said that the spider had 6. conquered and so would he. Inspired by the spider's determination, King Bruce decided to 7. strive once more. 8. Tried this time, he ultimately succeeded.

II. Complete the following sentences suitably.

1. We can say that the poet uses the narrative style because it tells a complete story about King Bruce and the spider through structured verses.
2. The central idea of the poem is never to lose hope and to keep trying persistently until success is achieved.

III. Pick three examples from the poem for each of the following:

1. Lines that describe the spider's efforts:

• "It soon began to cling and crawl / Straight up with strong endeavour;"
• "Up, up it ran, not a second to stay,"
• "Steadily, steadily, inch by inch, / Higher and higher he got;"

2. Alliteration:

• "slippery sprawl"
• "delicate thread it had to tread"
• "defied despair"

IV. Why does the poet repeat the following words or phrases in the poem?
tried and tried; steadily, steadily; up, up

The poet repeats these words to emphasize the continuous effort, slow but steady progress, and relentless determination required to achieve success despite repeated failures.

V. Fill in the blanks by choosing the correct answer from within the brackets.

1. The rhyme scheme of the poem is ABAB.
2. 'Bravo' is an example of interjection.
3. The poet uses 'twas and 'tis for the sake of rhythm.

VI. 1. Read the following sentences and identify metaphors and similes. Write M for metaphor and S for simile.

1. He ran as fast as a cheetah. — S
2. The world is a stage. — M
3. The night was as dark as coal. — S
4. He sang like an angel. — S
5. Her voice was music to his ears. — M
6. The classroom was a zoo. — M
7. The baby slept like a log. — S
8. Her smile was as bright as the sun. — S
9. The lake was a mirror, reflecting the sky. — M

VI. 2. Read the following sentences and transform the similes to metaphors and metaphors to similes.

• (iii) The book was a treasure chest, filled with endless adventures.
  • Simile: The book was like a treasure chest, filled with endless adventures.
• (iv) Her laughter was a melody that brightened the darkest days.
  • Simile: Her laughter was like a melody that brightened the darkest days.
• (v) The mountain stood as a guard, watching over the valley below.
  • Metaphor: The mountain was a guard, watching over the valley below.
• (vi) The night was like a velvet cloak, wrapping the world in mystery.
  • Metaphor: The night was a velvet cloak, wrapping the world in mystery.
• (vii) Her thoughts were like butterflies in a summer meadow.
  • Metaphor: Her thoughts were butterflies in a summer meadow.

Let us think and reflect

I. 1. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
"He flung himself down in low despair, / As grieved as man could be; / And after a while he pondered there, / 'I'll give it all up,' said he. / Now just at that moment a spider dropped, / With its silken, filmy clue;"

(i) Select the phrase which shows the physical expression of the King's emotional state.
"flung himself down"

(ii) Why does the poet use the word 'low' before despair?
To highlight the extreme depth and intensity of the King's sadness and loss of hope.

(iii) In the line, 'And after a while he pondered there', the word 'pondered' means:
B. thought

(iv) The phrase 'silken filmy clue' creates an image of something that is:
very delicate and soft

I. 2. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
"...when it toils so hard to reach and cling, / And tumbles every time." / But up the insect went once more, / Ah me! 'tis an anxious minute; / He's only a foot from his cobweb door, / Oh say, will he lose or win it?

(i) Choose the correct option to complete the analogy. toil : hard :: ____ : ____
A. roll : tumble

(ii) List any two characteristics of the spider highlighted in the line, 'But up the insect went once more'.
Perseverance (persistence) and determination.

(iii) The expression 'Ah me!' in the extract indicates a sense of:
B. stress

(iv) Complete the sentence with an appropriate reason. Readers are able to relate to this extract because:
everyone experiences suspense, struggle, and the fear of failure when trying to accomplish a tough goal.

II. Answer the following questions.

1. How does the first stanza help in setting the mood of the poem?
It introduces King Bruce's deep sadness, loneliness, and frustration after failing to achieve a great deed for his kingdom, creating a heavy and dismal mood.

2. Describe how King Bruce's attitude changes from the beginning towards the end of the poem.
In the beginning, King Bruce is sorrowful, hopeless, and ready to give up. By the end, inspired by the spider's victory, he becomes determined, confident, and ready to try again until he succeeds.

3. The poet describes every action of the spider in great detail. What does this tell us about his attitude towards the spider?
It shows that the poet deeply admires, respects, and appreciates the spider's courage, patience, and hard work.

4. How does the spider inspire us to overcome despair and not give up?
The spider fails nine times but never complains or stops trying. Its ultimate success shows that repeated effort eventually leads to victory.

5. The poem teaches us that failures are stepping stones to success. Explain.
Each time the spider falls, it learns, regains balance, and climbs higher than before. Its failures are not end points but stages towards reaching its web.

6. The spider's journey tells us that anyone can be a source of inspiration in our lives. Elaborate.
Even a tiny creature like a spider can teach a king a valuable life lesson about persistence and overcoming defeat.

Let us learn

I. Write the opposites of the following words taken from the poem.

1. up × down
2. fast × slow
3. glad × sad
4. win × lose
5. succeed × fail

II. Choose the correct meaning of the underlined words in the following sentences from the box given below. Frame sentences of your own for these words.

(i) Please make every endeavour to arrive on time.

• Meaning: 3. an attempt to do something new or difficult
• Own Sentence: Winning the national quiz was a great endeavour for our team.

(ii) Ants toil tirelessly to save food for rainy season.

• Meaning: 1. work very hard and/or for a long time
• Own Sentence: Farmers toil in the fields all day long to grow crops.

(iii) We encourage all students to strive to do their best.

• Meaning: 4. to try very hard to achieve something
• Own Sentence: You should always strive for excellence in your studies.

(iv) The sailors braced themselves against the strong wind.

• Meaning: 2. prepared themselves for something difficult
• Own Sentence: The town braced itself before the heavy storm hit.

III. Classify the words or phrases in the box given below based on the distance (far or near) and write in the space provided.

Far	Near
middle of nowhere	proximity
remoteness	vicinity
yonder	adjacent
afar	a stone's throw
light year	hairline
farther

IV. Read the line: 'Twas a delicate thread it had to tread. Repeat it 5-6 times clearly. Create more tongue twisters of your own.

Example Tongue Twister: Six silly spiders spun silky threads swiftly.

Let us listen

I & II. Listen to the story about an ant (Transcript pg. 40) and choose the correct options.

1. What was the ant known for?
   (i) determination
2. Why was the ant unable to take the roti home?
   (ii) It was too heavy to carry.
3. What was the bird doing?
   (ii) searching for food / building a nest (Note: as per listening transcript, building a nest with twigs/leaves).
4. How did the bird make the ant feel?
   (ii) inspired
5. How did the fellow ants help?
   (iii) by joining the ant in her efforts

Let us speak

Narrate a personal experience about a time when you were motivated by someone or something to carry on and never give up. Use the given prompts.

I remember a time when I felt like giving up. It was when I was preparing for the annual school math competition. The challenge I faced was solving complex geometry problems. At first, I felt discouraged because I kept getting wrong answers. But then, I read about the poem of King Bruce and the spider. After feeling inspired, I decided to practice every single day without quitting. In the end, I was able to score top marks in the test. This experience taught me that perseverance is indeed the key to success.

Let us write

Write a letter to your cousin on how you plan to overcome any difficult situation using transition words.

20, Rajendra Nagar
Jeevanpur
23 August 20XX

Dear Monika,

Thank you for your letter asking me about how I am preparing for my upcoming exams and dealing with difficult subjects.

To begin with, I analyze where I am making mistakes. Next, I make a realistic daily timetable to study difficult topics step by step. After that, I practice continuously without getting disheartened by failure. Then, I ask my teachers and friends for guidance whenever I get stuck. Finally, I keep a positive mindset and never give up.

Please do not quit when you face tough situations; keep trying and persevere!

Yours affectionately,
Deepa

Let us explore

I. Collect folk songs in your own language that connect us with nature and compile them as a class project.

(Activity to be done with classmates collecting local environmental/nature songs).

II. Observe a spider and an ant from a distance and note down the differences between them.

Feature	Spider	Ant
Group	Arachnid	Insect
Legs	8 legs	6 legs
Body Parts	2 parts (cephalothorax & abdomen)	3 parts (head, thorax, abdomen)
Web Spinning	Spins webs to catch prey	Does not spin webs

III. Let us learn how to weave a spider web using sticks and wool.

Fig 1: Tying three sticks together at the center.

Fig 2: Looping wool around each stick sequentially.

Fig 3: Continuing the loop pattern outwards.

Fig 4: Completed web tied off with a knot.

Follow the steps above to craft your web and write words like Perseverance, Try Again, and Courage around it!