StudyOSStudyOS CBSE Study Material, Class 5–12

Travel

NCERT Class 7 · English Based on NCERT Class 7 English textbook · Free CBSE study kit

Everything you need to ace this chapter, in one place.
Notes · Mind Map · Quiz · Assertion-Reason · Case Studies · Question Bank · Past Papers

Get Full Study Kit →
Studying with friends? Send them this chapter.

Chapter Notes

Overview
This chapter from the NCERT Class 7 English textbook explores the theme of travel through a poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay. It examines the speaker's deep fascination with trains, the sounds and sights associated with them, and the emotions they evoke—warmth for friends, longing for adventure, and a desire to travel anywhere. The one big idea a student must walk away with is that travel is not just about moving from one place to another; it is about the feelings of excitement, friendship, and endless possibilities that journeys bring.
Key Concepts (12)
Rhyme scheme
The pattern of rhyming words at the end of each line in a poem, usually shown using letters (e.g., ABAB).
e.g. In the poem 'Travel', the rhyme scheme is ABAB: 'away' (A), 'speaking' (B), 'day' (A), 'shrieking' (B).
Imagery
A literary device that uses descriptive language to create mental pictures and appeal to the reader's senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch).
e.g. In the poem, 'cinders red on the sky' creates a visual image of the train's sparks lighting up the night sky.
Personification
A figure of speech where a non-human thing is given human qualities or actions.
e.g. In the poem, the train's whistle is described as 'shrieking', which is a human action, so the whistle is personified.
Tone
The attitude the poet has about the subject of the poem.
e.g. The tone of the poem 'Travel' can be described as excited, enthusiastic, and thoughtful.
Symbolism
When an object or idea stands for something beyond its literal meaning.
e.g. In this poem, the train symbolises adventure and opportunities for the speaker.
Stanza
A group of lines in a poem, like a paragraph in prose.
e.g. The poem 'Travel' has three stanzas, each with four lines.
Rhyming words
Words that have the same ending sound, usually at the end of lines in a poem.
e.g. In stanza 1 of 'Travel', 'away' rhymes with 'day', and 'speaking' rhymes with 'shrieking'.
Soft 'c' sound
The /s/ sound produced by the letter 'c' when it is followed by 'e', 'i', or 'y'.
e.g. In the word 'cinders', 'c' is followed by 'i', so it is pronounced with a soft /s/ sound.
Hard 'c' sound
The /k/ sound produced by the letter 'c' when it is followed by 'a', 'o', 'u', or a consonant at the end of the word.
e.g. In the word 'cat', 'c' is followed by 'a', so it is pronounced with a hard /k/ sound.
Diamante poem
A poem shaped like a diamond that uses specific types of words like adjectives and -ing words to connect two different ideas.
e.g. The example in the chapter connects 'Day' and 'Night' using adjectives like 'bright, sunny' and -ing words like 'dancing, playing, running'.
Mountain Railways of India
A UNESCO World Heritage Site consisting of three hill railways: Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, Nilgiri Mountain Railway, and Kalka–Shimla Railway.
e.g. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is a famous mountain railway that runs through the hills of West Bengal.
Vande Bharat Express
India's first indigenous semi-high-speed train, launched on 15 February 2019, running at a speed of 160 kilometres per hour.
e.g. The first Vande Bharat Express ran on the New Delhi–Kanpur–Allahabad–Varanasi route.
How It Works
Identifying the main idea of each stanza
  1. Read each stanza carefully.
  2. Identify what the speaker is describing or feeling in that stanza.
  3. Match the stanza number to the given main idea.
  4. Stanza 1: The speaker hears the train whistle during the day, even though the train is far away.
  5. Stanza 2: At night, the speaker imagines the train and hears its engine in the quiet.
  6. Stanza 3: The speaker feels a strong desire to take any train, no matter where it goes.
💡 Students often confuse the main ideas of stanzas 1 and 2. Remember: stanza 1 is about daytime (hearing the whistle), stanza 2 is about nighttime (seeing cinders and hearing the engine).
Identifying the rhyme scheme of a poem
  1. Write the last word of each line in the stanza.
  2. Assign a letter (A, B, C, etc.) to each ending sound, starting with A for the first line.
  3. If the next line ends with the same sound, give it the same letter; if different, give it the next letter.
  4. Repeat for all lines in the stanza.
  5. For the poem 'Travel', stanza 1: away (A), speaking (B), day (A), shrieking (B) → rhyme scheme is ABAB.
💡 Students often forget that the rhyme scheme is determined by the sound, not the spelling. For example, 'speaking' and 'shrieking' rhyme because they sound the same, even though they are spelled differently.
Using the soft and hard 'c' pronunciation rule
  1. Look at the letter immediately after 'c' in the word.
  2. If the next letter is 'e', 'i', or 'y', pronounce 'c' as /s/ (soft 'c').
  3. If the next letter is 'a', 'o', 'u', or a consonant at the end of the word, pronounce 'c' as /k/ (hard 'c').
  4. Example: 'city' → 'c' followed by 'i' → soft /s/ sound. 'cat' → 'c' followed by 'a' → hard /k/ sound.
💡 Students often forget the rule for words like 'cable' (hard 'c' because followed by 'a') and 'cell' (soft 'c' because followed by 'e'). Practice with words like 'circle' (first 'c' soft, second 'c' hard).
Writing a diamante poem
  1. Choose two opposite or connected topics (e.g., 'reading' and 'adventure').
  2. Line 1: Write the first topic (one noun).
  3. Line 2: Write two adjectives describing the first topic.
  4. Line 3: Write three -ing words (verbs) related to the first topic.
  5. Line 4: Write four nouns or a short phrase that links the two topics.
  6. Line 5: Write three -ing words related to the second topic.
  7. Line 6: Write two adjectives describing the second topic.
  8. Line 7: Write the second topic (one noun).
💡 Students often forget that line 4 must connect both topics, not just describe one. For example, for 'reading' and 'adventure', line 4 could be 'books, journeys, maps, dreams'.
Exam Traps — Don't Make These Mistakes
⚠ Confusing the speaker's feelings in stanza 3
✗ The speaker does not want to leave her friends because her heart is warm with them.
→ The speaker says 'My heart is warm with the friends I make' and 'better friends I’ll not be knowing', but she also says 'there isn’t a train I wouldn’t take, No matter where it’s going.' This shows she loves her friends but still wants to travel and explore.
✓ The speaker loves her friends and values them deeply, but she still has a strong desire to travel and take any train, no matter where it goes.
⚠ Misidentifying the rhyme scheme as AABB
✗ The rhyme scheme of the poem is AABB.
→ Students often think that because 'away' and 'day' rhyme, and 'speaking' and 'shrieking' rhyme, the scheme is AABB. However, the correct pattern is ABAB because the first and third lines rhyme, and the second and fourth lines rhyme.
✓ The rhyme scheme of the poem 'Travel' is ABAB.
⚠ Thinking the poet actually sees and hears the train
✗ The poet actually sees and hears the train passing by.
→ The poem says 'The railroad track is miles away' and 'there isn’t a train goes by all day' — meaning no train actually passes. The speaker imagines or remembers the train's sounds and sights.
✓ The poet does not actually see or hear the train. The train is miles away, and no train passes by. The speaker imagines the whistle and the cinders because of her fascination with trains.
⚠ Confusing 'cinders red on the sky' with the train itself
✗ The phrase 'cinders red on the sky' tells us that the train is red in colour.
→ The phrase does not describe the colour of the train. It describes the glowing sparks (cinders) from the train's engine that light up the night sky.
✓ The phrase 'cinders red on the sky' tells us that the train's sparks (cinders) are glowing red and lighting up the night sky, creating a visual image of the train's presence even at night.
⚠ Misunderstanding the repetition of 'there isn’t a train goes by'
✗ The poet repeats the line to suggest that the area has many trains passing through.
→ The repetition actually highlights the speaker's fascination with the train. Even though no train goes by, the speaker still hears the whistle and sees the cinders in her imagination.
✓ The poet repeats the line 'there isn’t a train goes by' to highlight the speaker's fascination with the train, showing that she is so drawn to trains that she imagines them even when they are not there.
Compare & Contrast
Time of day and sensory details
Stanza 1 (Daytime)
Stanza 2 (Nighttime)
In stanza 1 (daytime), the speaker hears the train's whistle shrieking even though the day is loud with voices. In stanza 2 (nighttime), the speaker sees the train's cinders red on the sky and hears its engine steaming, even though the night is still for sleep.
Pronunciation of the letter 'c'
Soft 'c' sound
Hard 'c' sound
Soft 'c' is pronounced as /s/ when followed by 'e', 'i', or 'y' (e.g., 'city', 'cinders'). Hard 'c' is pronounced as /k/ when followed by 'a', 'o', 'u', or a consonant (e.g., 'cat', 'cable').
Exam Focus
Marks pattern: This chapter typically appears in board exams with 2-3 MCQs (1 mark each), 1 short answer question (2-3 marks) on imagery or rhyme scheme, and 1 long answer question (5 marks) on the speaker's attitude towards travel or the significance of the train.
Most asked: Rhyme scheme identification (ABAB) · Imagery and its examples from the poem · Tone of the poem · Symbolism of the train · Main ideas of each stanza · Personification of the train's whistle
Don't skip: Long answer question on the speaker's attitude towards travel and what the train symbolises (5 marks); Short answer question on identifying and explaining imagery from the poem (3 marks); MCQ on rhyme scheme (1 mark)
One-Line Revision (read aloud before the exam)
  1. The poem 'Travel' by Edna St. Vincent Millay has three stanzas with a rhyme scheme of ABAB.
  2. The speaker hears the train whistle during the day even though the train is miles away.
  3. At night, the speaker sees the train's cinders red on the sky and hears its engine steaming.
  4. The speaker's heart is warm with the friends she makes, but she would take any train no matter where it goes.
  5. The train symbolises adventure and opportunities for the speaker.
  6. Imagery is a literary device that uses descriptive language to create mental pictures and appeal to the senses.
  7. Examples of imagery from the poem include 'day is loud', 'cinders red on the sky', and 'engine steaming'.
  8. Personification is when a non-human thing is given human qualities, like the train's whistle 'shrieking'.
  9. The tone of the poem is excited, enthusiastic, and thoughtful.
  10. The repetition of 'there isn’t a train goes by' highlights the speaker's fascination with trains.
  11. Soft 'c' is pronounced as /s/ when followed by 'e', 'i', or 'y' (e.g., 'cinders', 'city').
  12. Hard 'c' is pronounced as /k/ when followed by 'a', 'o', 'u', or a consonant (e.g., 'cat', 'cable').
  13. A diamante poem is shaped like a diamond and uses adjectives and -ing words to connect two topics.
  14. The Mountain Railways of India include Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, Nilgiri Mountain Railway, and Kalka–Shimla Railway.
  15. The Vande Bharat Express is India's first indigenous semi-high-speed train, launched on 15 February 2019.

MCQs — 10 Questions with Answers

Q1. What does the phrase 'My heart is warm with the friends I make' indicate about the speaker?

  • A. The speaker is worried about losing friends
  • B. The speaker feels deep love and affection for the friends made during travels ✓
  • C. The speaker is angry at their current friends
  • D. The speaker has no interest in making friends

Answer: B — The phrase metaphorically shows warmth of emotion, meaning the speaker feels genuine love and appreciation for the friends they have made.

Q2. Which of the following is the rhyme scheme of the poem?

  • A. AABB
  • B. ABCA
  • C. ABAB ✓
  • D. ABBC

Answer: C — In each stanza, the first and third lines rhyme (away-day), and the second and fourth lines rhyme (speaking-shrieking), creating an ABAB pattern.

Q3. What does the repeated line 'there isn't a train goes by' primarily emphasize in the poem?

  • A. That the area has many trains passing through every day
  • B. The speaker's strong and constant fascination with trains ✓
  • C. That trains rarely pass through the speaker's area
  • D. That the speaker is bored with seeing trains

Answer: B — The repetition in all three stanzas highlights the speaker's obsessive interest in trains, showing that thoughts of trains are always present.

Q4. Identify the word that personifies the train's whistle in the poem.

  • A. miles away
  • B. shrieking ✓
  • C. steaming
  • D. cinders

Answer: B — Shrieking is a human action of shouting loudly; applying it to the whistle gives the train human qualities and emotions.

Q5. What do 'cinders red on the sky' tell us about the train at night?

  • A. The train is moving slowly and quietly
  • B. The glowing sparks from the train light up the night sky, showing its powerful movement ✓
  • C. The train is cold and not producing heat
  • D. The train is dangerous and should be avoided

Answer: B — Cinders are glowing sparks from the engine; the phrase creates vivid imagery of the train's power illuminating the darkness.

Q6. Which word best describes the tone of the poem?

  • A. Sad and melancholic
  • B. Angry and critical
  • C. Excited, enthusiastic, and joyful ✓
  • D. Worried and concerned

Answer: C — The speaker expresses warm feelings toward friends and shows unwavering desire to travel by train, reflecting positive, energetic emotions throughout.

Q7. What does the line 'no matter where it's going' reveal about the speaker's attitude toward travel?

  • A. The speaker is only interested in specific destinations
  • B. The speaker cares more about the journey and adventure itself than reaching a particular place ✓
  • C. The speaker is afraid of unknown destinations
  • D. The speaker prefers to stay at home

Answer: B — This line shows the speaker values the experience of traveling and exploring over caring about the actual destination, emphasizing a love of adventure itself.

Q8. Which of the following is NOT an example of imagery from the poem?

  • A. day is loud with voices speaking
  • B. cinders red on the sky
  • C. engine steaming
  • D. better friends I'll not be knowing ✓

Answer: D — This line expresses the speaker's comparison and emotion but does not use descriptive sensory language to create a visual or sensory mental image.

Q9. What do the poem's contrasts between day and night reveal about the speaker's feelings toward trains?

  • A. The speaker only thinks about trains during the day
  • B. The speaker's longing for trains is constant—present in both busy day and quiet night ✓
  • C. The speaker dislikes trains at night but likes them during the day
  • D. The speaker prefers to hear trains only when it is quiet

Answer: B — Although the day is loud and night is still, the speaker hears and sees trains in both settings, showing that the fascination persists regardless of time or conditions.

Q10. Based on the stanzas, what does the train primarily symbolize for the poet?

  • A. A source of stress and worry
  • B. A reminder of past regrets
  • C. Adventure, opportunity, freedom, and new experiences ✓
  • D. A symbol of isolation and loneliness

Answer: C — The poem shows the speaker's eagerness to board any train, value of friendships made during travels, and willingness to go anywhere, all pointing to trains as symbols of adventure and opportunity.

Flashcards

What does 'My heart is warm with the friends I make' mean?

The speaker feels deep affection and love for the friends they have made during travels.

Identify the rhyme scheme of the poem.

The rhyme scheme is ABAB: away-speaking-day-shrieking; sky-dreaming-sky-steaming; make-knowing-take-going.

Which word personifies the train's whistle in the poem?

The word 'shrieking' personifies the whistle by giving it a human quality of shouting loudly.

What do 'cinders red on the sky' tell us about the train?

The glowing sparks from the train light up the night sky, showing the train's powerful movement at night.

What does the repeated line 'there isn't a train goes by' emphasize?

The speaker's strong fascination and obsession with trains, hearing them constantly even when far away.

What two things does the poem contrast?

The busy, loud day with many voices contrasts with the still, quiet night, yet the speaker hears the train in both.

Name two words that describe the poet's tone in this poem.

Excited, enthusiastic, joyful, thoughtful, and content are all suitable words to describe the poet's tone.

What does 'no matter where it's going' reveal about the speaker?

The speaker cares more about the journey and adventure itself than the actual destination.

Which literary device makes 'day is loud' an example in the poem?

Imagery—it uses descriptive language ('loud') to appeal to the reader's sense of sound and create a vivid picture.

What does the train symbolize for the poet?

The train symbolizes adventure and opportunities for new experiences and exploration.

Important Board Questions

What does 'My heart is warm with the friends I make' tell us about the speaker's feelings? Explain in one or two sentences. [2 marks]

Look for metaphorical language: 'warm' = emotional warmth/affection. Identify what emotion the speaker feels toward the friends they have made during travels.

How does the poet use repetition in the poem to emphasize the speaker's feelings toward trains? Explain with reference to the repeated line. [3 marks]

Identify the line repeated in all three stanzas: 'there isn't a train goes by.' Explain how repeating this line shows the speaker's constant fascination and obsession with trains, making the theme stronger.

Analyze how the poem uses literary devices (imagery, personification, and rhyme) to convey the speaker's passion for travel and adventure. Support your answer with at least two examples from the text. [5 marks]

Select specific phrases showing imagery ('day is loud,' 'cinders red'), personification ('shrieking whistle'), and explain the rhyme scheme (ABAB). Connect each device to how it reveals the speaker's emotions and love for trains and journey.

Assertion-Reason Questions for Travel

Q1. Assertion (A):

The poem 'The Railroad Track' uses the train as a symbol of adventure and freedom.

Reason (R):

The speaker expresses willingness to board any train regardless of its destination, indicating that the journey itself rather than the destination matters most.

Answer: A — Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A — Both the assertion and reason are true, and the reason correctly explains why trains symbolize adventure and freedom in the poem—the speaker's eagerness to travel anywhere reveals this deeper meaning.

Q2. Assertion (A):

The repeated line 'there isn't a train goes by' in all three stanzas shows that trains rarely pass through the speaker's area.

Reason (R):

The line appears at the beginning of each stanza to establish the setting of the poem.

Answer: D — A is false but R is true — Both statements are false. The repetition emphasizes the speaker's constant awareness and fascination with trains, not their rarity. The line's placement also doesn't establish setting but rather reinforces the speaker's obsession.

Q3. Assertion (A):

The imagery of 'cinders red on the sky' appeals primarily to the reader's sense of sight.

Reason (R):

Imagery is a literary device that uses descriptive language to create mental pictures and appeal to multiple senses simultaneously.

Answer: B — Both A and R are true, but R is NOT the correct explanation of A — Both statements are true, but the reason doesn't explain the assertion. The reason defines imagery in general, while the assertion identifies a specific visual image. The reason doesn't explain why this particular phrase appeals to sight.

Unlock more Assertion-Reason questions in Premium — unlock →

Case-Based Questions (CBQ) for Travel

Case Study:

Rahul is preparing for his first solo adventure trip to the mountains next month. He is very excited and has created a checklist of things to do: buying travel insurance, booking his train tickets, packing appropriate clothing for different weather conditions, and arranging for someone to look after his house. His friends are amazed at his enthusiasm and courage, though some are worried about the challenges he might face like bad weather and difficult terrain. Rahul remains undeterred, saying that these challenges are part of what makes adventure exciting. He has read about other travelers' experiences and is looking forward to the new experiences and friendships he might make during the journey.

Q1. What is Rahul's primary motivation for undertaking this adventure trip?

  • A. To escape from his boring life at home
  • B. To impress his friends with his courage
  • C. The desire for new experiences, personal growth, and making new connections ✓
  • D. To prove that he is a better adventurer than his friends

Answer: C

Q2. Which of the following preparations shows Rahul's practical and responsible approach to travel?

  • A. Buying travel insurance and arranging for house care ✓
  • B. Booking tickets at the last minute to save money
  • C. Packing only light clothing to reduce luggage
  • D. Not informing anyone about his travel plans

Answer: A

Q3. How does Rahul's attitude toward challenges differ from his friends' perspective?

  • A. Rahul thinks challenges are dangerous; his friends think they are exciting
  • B. Rahul welcomes challenges as part of the adventure; his friends worry about potential difficulties ✓
  • C. Rahul is afraid of challenges; his friends are more courageous
  • D. Rahul doesn't care about challenges; his friends are overly cautious

Answer: B

Q4. What can we infer about how Rahul has prepared mentally for this trip?

  • A. He has done little research and relies mostly on intuition
  • B. He has researched other travelers' experiences and manages his expectations realistically ✓
  • C. He believes nothing can go wrong on this trip
  • D. He is unprepared and will figure things out as he goes

Answer: B

Unlock more case studies in Premium — unlock →

Next chapterConquering the Summit →
Found this useful? Share it with your class group.

You've seen the free preview. Open the full interactive study kit — mind map, instant-graded quiz, progress tracking — free, no sign-in required.

Open Full Study Kit — Free →

Premium unlocks the full Question Bank, Daily Practice Papers, Chapter Quiz and Full Mock Papers for every chapter.