Page 126 - English Expedition Class 6

Just as it gets dark in the evening and my mother sends me to
bed,
I can see through my open window the watchman walking up
and down.

Th e lane is dark and lonely, and the street-lamp stands like a
giant with one red eye in its head.
Th e watchman swings his lantern and walks with his shadow at
his side, and never once goes to bed in his life.

I wish I were a watchman walking the streets all night, chasing
the shadows with my lantern.

Rabindranath Tagore (1861–1941) was a Bengali poet, author, educationist
and artist who was the fi rst non-European to be awarded the Nobel Prize
for Literature. His writing is known for its simplicity and deep sensitivity,
especially towards women and children.

Comprehension

A. Tick the correct answer to the following questions.

1. What were the bangles made of?
a. silver b. pearls
c. wood d. crystal

2. Whom does the child see while coming back from school?
a. watchman b. gardener
c. hawker d. all of the above

3. The ‘giant with one red eye’ refers to
a. the watchman. b. the dark lane.

c. the street lamp. d. the lantern.
4. Which phrase from the poem means the same as rebuking someone?
a. soils his clothes b. takes him to task

c. red eye in its head d. gets baked in the sun
5. What does the watchman do with the lantern?

a. places it near the window b. hangs it near the lamp
c. lights and hangs it d. swings it to and fro

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