Practice Time : Start Where You Stand

1.1   START WHERE YOU STAND

Start where you stand and never mind the past

The past won’t help you in beginning new,

If you have left it all behind at last

Why, that’s enough, you’re done with it, you’re through;

This is another chapter in the book,

This is another race that you have planned,

Don’t give vanished days a backward look,

Start where you stand.

The world won’t care about your old defeats

If you can start anew and win successes;

The future is your time, and time is fleet

And there is much of work and strain and stress;

Forget the buried woes and dead despairs,

Here is a brand-new trial right at hand,

The future is for him who does and dares,

Start where you stand.

Old failures will not halt, old triumphs aid,

To-day’s the thing; to-morrow soon will be;

Get in the fight and face it unafraid,

And leave the past to ancient history;

What has been, has been; yesterday is dead

And by it you are neither blessed nor banned;

Take courage, man, be brave and drive ahead,

Start where you stand.                                                                               

                                                                                                               Berton Braley         

        A.        Choose the appropriate alternative

         1.       The poet advises not to think of present/ past.

         2.      The past does not assist in beginning / ending new venture.

         3.      People do not think about your success / defeats.

         4.      You can start anew and win successes / get failed.

      B.     Say whether the following statements are true or false.

        1.      You should wait to start.

        2.      Do not think of past.

        3.      What you have left is enough.

        4.      Starting anew is the last chapter in the book. 

     5.      Do not remember past woes and despairs.

     6.      You should concentrate on work in hand.
   7. One who does and dares will lose the future.

        8.      Failures do not last forever.
   Ans : 1 False 2. True 3. True 4. False 5.True 6. True 7. False 8. True

    C.    Web chart

     1.      Complete the web chart by pointing out the poet’s advice

Ans : Poet's advice 1. Start at any age , time and plight 2. Concentrate on work 3. Forget the failures 4. Be brave ( Drive ahead, Be courageous, Do not remember woes and despairs )
Ans : Qualities for life  1 Daring 2. Working spirit 3. Courage 4. Fearlessness 5 Fighting spirit 6. Bravery 7. Perseverance ( any four)

D. Poetic Device:

1.      This is another chapter in the book. Name and explain the figures of speech. Find one more example .

2. Forget the buried woes and dead despairs. Name and explain the figures of speech. Find one more example .

3.      Old failures will not halt, old triumphs aid. Name and explain the figures of speech. Find one more example .

E. Poetic Creation 

1. Add suitable poetic lines of your own to rhyme with the last two lines of the extract.

2.Write few poetic lines by using words " failures , triumphs "