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1. What does the poet mean by keep your head? (line 1, Stanza i)
2. In your own words, state two pieces of advice given by the poet in the first stanza.
3. Give one evidence of personification given in the poem.
4. In your own words, state one moral value in the last stanza.
5. In Stanza IV, why does the pot warn that we must keep our virtue when we are with crowds?
6. Why should all men count with you? (Stanza IV)
7. How should we treat time? (Stanza IV)
8. Explain the last two line of the poem in your own words.
9. Who is the persona in the poem and who do you think the poem is for?
10. Which line in Stanza I tells us not to engage in trickery/
11. Why can’s dreams be our master?
12. In your own words, explain the moral value of this poem.
13. When should you ‘keep your head’?
14. Name two virtues that are expounded in Stanza 1.
15. When others doubt you, what should you do?
16. Why should we ‘ make allowance for their doubting’?
17. Why should we not allow dreams to control us/
18. a) What two words are used to symbolize success and failure?
b) Why are they personified?
19. What can ‘knaves’ do to the unsuspecting person?
20. What does winnings in Stanza 3 refer to?
21. What is the persona’s advice about winning and losing?
22. How is ‘Will’ personified?
23. What advice does the persona give in the following lines?...force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long after they are gone’.
24. What do you understand by the line “ If you can wait and not be tired by waiting?
25. Based on Stanza 1, which advice would you give to your best friend and why?
26. Who are the “two impostors” mentioned in Stanza 2?
27. How would one treat the “two impostors”?
28. In Stanza 2, what does the word ‘knaves mean?
29. In your opinion, how does the persona view ‘dreams’?
30. What is ‘one heap of all your winning’?
31. What does the line ‘And never breath a word about your loss’ mean?
32. Explain in your own words the line ‘ And lose, and start again in your beginnings’.
33. What do you understand by ‘Except the Will which says to them; “Hold on!”?
34. In Stanza 2, what would you do when our life’s work is ruined?
35. Do you agree that one should treat “ Triumph” and “Disaster” in the same way? Explain why?
36. Explain what do you think the poet means by the phrase “If all men count with you, but none too much”.
37. In Stanza 3, in your opinion, why does the poet describe a minute as being ‘unforgiving’?
38. Do you face problems in trying ‘to keep your virtue’ when you ‘talk with crowds’? Explain.
39. According to Stanza 1, what should a mature person be able to do when other people do not trust him?
40. What should one’s attitude be towards dreams as mentioned in Stanza 2?
41. In Stanza 3, what admirable attitude should one have about losing important bets?
42. Which line in Stanza 4 mentions good time management?
43. Explain what the poet means by the line “Or walk with Kings – nor lose the common touch” (line 26).
44. What should we do when our lives is ruined? (Stanza 2)