Geography Lesson (Poem)
Summary of the Poem “Geography Lesson”
In Simple English:
The poem talks about how the Earth looks from a flying jet. From high up, cities seem neatly planned, unlike their messy appearance from the ground. As the jet goes higher, the poet notices that cities are often near rivers, and valleys are filled with people—this is called the “logic of geography.” From six miles high, the Earth looks round with more water than land. However, the poet is confused why humans fight, build walls, and hate each other. These actions make no sense when seen from the peaceful view of the whole Earth.
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सरल हिंदी में सारांश:
यह कविता एक उड़ते हुए जेट से देखी गई पृथ्वी के दृश्य के बारे में है। ऊँचाई से शहर एक सुनियोजित नक्शे जैसे लगते हैं, जबकि ज़मीन से वे अस्त-व्यस्त दिखाई देते हैं। जेट के और ऊपर जाने पर कवि देखता है कि शहर अक्सर नदियों के पास बसे होते हैं और घाटियाँ लोगों से भरी होती हैं—इसे “भूगोल का तर्क” कहा जाता है। छह मील की ऊँचाई से पृथ्वी गोल दिखती है, जहाँ ज़मीन से ज़्यादा पानी है। लेकिन कवि को समझ नहीं आता कि इंसान आपस में लड़ते क्यों हैं, दीवारें बनाते हैं और नफ़रत करते हैं। पृथ्वी के इस शांतिपूर्ण नज़ारे से ये बातें बिल्कुल बेमतलब लगती हैं।
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Key Message:
The poem shows how Earth’s natural patterns make sense, but human conflicts and divisions do not.
*(कविता यह दिखाती है कि पृथ्वी के प्राकृतिक नियम समझ आते हैं, लेकिन इंसानों का झगड़ा और बँटवारा बेमतलब है।)
Questions and Answers from the Poem “Geography Lesson”
1. Find three or four phrases in stanzas one and two which are likely to occur in a geography lesson.
Answer:
- “scaled six inches to the mile”
- “rivers ran and why the valleys were populated”
- “The logic of geography — that land and water attracted man”
- “clearly delineated”
2. Seen from the window of an aeroplane, the city appears
(i) as haphazard as on ground.
(ii) as neat as a map.
(iii) as developed as necessary.
Mark the right answer.
Answer: (ii) as neat as a map.
3. Which of the following statements are examples of “the logic of geography”?
(i) There are cities where there are rivers.
(ii) Cities appear as they are not from six miles above the ground.
(iii) It is easy to understand why valleys are populated.
(iv) It is difficult to understand why humans hate and kill one another.
(v) The earth is round, and it has more sea than land.
Answer: (i), (iii), and (v)
4. Mention two things that are
(i) clear from the height:
- The way cities are planned near rivers and valleys.
- The earth is round and has more water than land.
(ii) not clear from the height:
- Why humans fight and hate each other.
- Why people build walls and divide cities.
exam-focused notes for the Class 8 CBSE English poem “Geography Lesson” by Zulfikar Ghose,
Geography Lesson – Important Exam Questions and Answers
Poet: Zulfikar Ghose
Book: Honeydew
Class: 8th CBSE – English Poem
Short Answer Questions
Q1. What does the poet realize at ten thousand feet?
Answer: He realizes the geographical logic behind the location of cities and settlements — they are near rivers, and land and water attract human life.
Q2. What does the poet observe about the Earth from a high altitude?
Answer: From a height of six miles, the Earth appears round and covered mostly by water. He also sees that human divisions like borders and walls are meaningless from that perspective.
Q3. What message does the poem convey?
Answer: The poem conveys that the Earth and nature are organized logically, but human beings have created divisions, walls, and wars that defy logic and bring conflict.
Q4. What does the poet find hard to understand even from six miles high?
Answer: He finds it hard to understand why people hate each other, build walls, and go to war despite the Earth being one shared home.
NCERT Textbook-Based Questions
Q1. Find phrases in stanzas one and two that are typical of geography lessons.
- “Scaled six inches to the mile”
- “Valleys were populated”
- “Land and water attracted man”
Q2. How does the city appear from the sky?
Answer: From the sky, the city seems well-planned and orderly. However, from the ground, it appears disorganized and unplanned.
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. Who is the poet of “Geography Lesson”?
a) Robert Frost
b) Kenneth Grahame
c) Zulfikar Ghose
d) Ted Hughes
Answer: c) Zulfikar Ghose
2. What is the central theme of the poem?
a) Global warming
b) The beauty of nature
c) Importance of maps
d) The senselessness of human conflicts
Answer: d) The senselessness of human conflicts
3. What confused the poet about human behavior?
a) Their use of maps
b) Their movement from one city to another
c) Their hatred, walls, and wars
d) Their farming methods
Answer: c) Their hatred, walls, and wars
Poetic Devices Used
- Imagery: The poem creates a clear picture of Earth as seen from different heights.
- Irony: The Earth appears logical and beautiful, but humans behave illogically.
- Symbolism: “Walls” and “wars” symbolize human divisions and conflicts.
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