Jharkhand Board Class 9TH English Notes | NO MEN ARE FOREIGN
JAC Board Solution For Class 9TH English Poetry Chapter 6
COMPREHENSION
■ Read the following passage and answer the questions that
follow :―
1. Remember, no men are strange, no countries foreign Beneath
all uniforms, a single body breathes
Like ours; the land our brothers walk upon Is earth like this,
in which we all shall lie.
Q. (a) Name the poem from where this extract has been-taken.
(b) Who has written these lines?
(c) What does the poet want us to remember?
(d) What are the similarities between us and our
neighbours?
(e) How does earth Links us with all mankind?
Ans. (a) Poem- No Men Are Foreign.
(b) Written by- James Kirkup.
(c) The poet urges us to remember that we all belong to the
same human race and the same earth.
(d) Human body is formed alike and it functions the same
way all over the world. Dresses make no difference.
(e) Our earth is a common factor. It sustains all of us as long
as we live and takes us back after death.
2. They, too aware of sun and air and water,
Are fed by peaceful harvests, by war's long winter starv'd.
Their hands are ours, and in their lines we read
A labour not different from our own.
Q. (a) Who does 'they' refer to?
(b) What do we need for survival?
(c) What does the poet compare war to?
Ans (a) They' refers to the people living in different countries.
(b) We all need sun, air, water and food to live on.
(c) The poet compares war to icy winter which creates food
shortage.
3. Remember they have eyes like ours that wake
Or sleep, and strength that can be won
By love. In every land is common life
That all can recognise and understand.
Q. (a) How can their strength be won?
(b) Do 'they' lead a common life as 'we' do ?
(e) What is recognized and understood by all alike?
Ans.(a) Their strength can be won by love.
(b) Yes, they also lead a common life as 'we' do.
(c) The common life which is same in every land, is
recognized and understood by all alike.
4. Let us remember, whenever we are told
To hate our brothers, it is ourselves
That we shall dispossess, betray, condemn.
Remember, we who take arms against each other.
Q. . (a) Who are the people that tell us such thing?
(b) What is the result of hatred?
(c) Write your views about war.
Ans.(a) These people are our enemies.
(b) By hating others we betray and condemn ourselves.
(c) War destructs man, material and property. It should be
avoided at all costs.
5. It is the human earth that we defile.
Our hells of fire and dust outrage the innocence
Of air that is every where our own.
Remember, no men are foreign, and no countries strange.
Q. (a) How do we defile our earth?
(b) How is air polluted?
(c) What is the result of pollution.
Ans (a) We defile to our carth by killing one another.
(b) The use of atomic bombs in the war pollute our air.
(e) Pollution results in destruction of life and material etc.
Short Answer Type Quesions
■ Answer these questions in about 30-40 words cach:―
Q.1. How does the poet suggest that all people on the earth
are the same?
Ans. The poet suggests that all people on the earth are the
same. It is because the land throughout the world is like ours. It is
the same earth over which all walk and die it. After death our ashes
will mingle in it.
Q. 2. Write the central theme of the poem "No Men Are
Foreign."
Ans. James kirkup spreads the message of brotherhood among
all the people of the world. He makes us understand that none is
strange. All countries are similar having the same earth. All feel
the importance of the sun, air and water. All walk and will lie in the
same earth.
Q.3. How can we win the powerful people?
Ans. All know that it is the power that prevails everywhere.
But we must not forget that they can be won with the help of love
and not through hatred or waging war against them. It is the love,
politeness, sympathy that can melt everything on this common
earth.
Q. 4. How are 'they'affected by the peace and war?
Ans. They also human like us. Similar to us, the crops
cultivated in peace satisfy their hunger. The long, cold, heartless
inters created by wars starve them just like us.
Q. 5. What does the poet mean by 'our hells of fire and
dust'?
Ans. The atmosphere created at the time of war full of fire and
dust-is no less than hell. So the poet says, 'our hells of fire and dust
to refer to the wars.
Q.6. What is the result of hatred for others?
Ans. It is not good to despise others. It spreads and breeds the
seed of indifference, intolerance and communal hatred which are
fatal for our survival and existence. By hating our brothers we are
spreading the poison of disliking. In a way we are the cheating and
condemning ourselves. It will hamper our progress and prosperity.
Q. 7. How we defile our earth?
Ans. Our earth is very holy over which we stay and breathe.
With the use of Atom bombs and nuclear weapons we pollute the
atmosphere which in turn create a strong base for the survival of
human beings. The foul smell, abnoxious gases vitiate the air and
thereby we become the victim of death, destruction and ruin.
Q.8. Whom do our hells of fire and dust outrage? How?
Ans. 'Our hells of fire and dust' outrage the innocence and
purity of the air which is same for everyone. It happens when the
fire and dust of wars fill the air and pollutes it.
Q.9. What happens when 'we are told to hate our brothers'?
Ans. When we are told to hate our brothers we must remember
that we are told to hate ourselves. In hating our brothers we
dispossess ourselves. We tend to betray and condemn ourselves.
Q. 10. What do we actually do if we hate the people as given
by the poet ?
Ans. cording to the poet, if we hate the people we defile the
earth. The innocence of air is outraged. This is the air that is
everywhere our own.
Q. 11. How does the poet explain that all human beings
'live' and 'suffer' the same?
Ans. The poet explains this by referring to the human body
which is the same everywhere. It is aware of sun, air and water. It is
'fed by peaceful harvests' and in war it starves. All have eyes that
wake or sleep, the same.
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