This chapter is a poem by **Reginald Arkell** that presents a humorous and insightful portrait of Mrs. Jones and her unique garden. The poem explores themes of individuality, perspective, and finding beauty in unexpected places. It demonstrates how people perceive the world differently based on their values and interests.
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**Activity I: Garden Vocabulary**
Students are expected to identify and name common garden items:
**Activity II: Personal Garden Preferences**
Students discuss and share ideal garden features they would like, including:
**Activity III: Understanding the Title**
The word **'concrete'** has multiple meanings:
1. **Literal meaning**: made of concrete material (solid, hard substance)
2. **Metaphorical meaning**: specific, clear, tangible, real-world example
3. **Symbolic meaning**: the poem provides a clear illustration of how different people value and perceive gardens differently
This wordplay is called a **pun** and is central to understanding the poem's wit.
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**Structure**: The poem consists of three stanzas, each beginning with "My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Jones," creating a **refrain** that emphasizes the subject of the poem.
**Stanza 1**: Introduces Mrs. Jones' stone-filled garden with unusual features:
Mrs. Jones takes pride in these elements, considering them "rather nice."
**Stanza 2**: Describes the paradox of Mrs. Jones' gardening:
**Stanza 3**: The climactic moment demonstrating irony:
**Central Irony**: The speaker expects the flower to be somewhere special or obvious, but discovers it is the tiny, insignificant plant underfoot—something completely overlooked yet deeply valued by Mrs. Jones.
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Fill in blanks with exact words from the poem:
1. **stones** (garden full of stones)
2. **crazy path** (unusual garden feature)
3. **sundial** (garden decoration)
4. **delicate** (describing the plants)
5. **pin** (how plants could be planted)
6. **flower** (what they discuss)
7. **lovely** (referring to the flower)
8. **standing** (what speaker did on the flower)
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The correct answer is **D: (ii), (iv), and (v)** — **humorous, amusing, and light-hearted**
A **refrain** is a repeated line or phrase that appears in each stanza.
**The refrain in this poem**: "My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Jones,"
**Alliteration** is the repetition of beginning consonant sounds in nearby words.
**Examples from the poem**:
**Purpose**: Creates musical quality, makes the poem memorable, emphasizes key words.
**Imagery** is descriptive language that appeals to the five senses and helps readers visualize scenes.
**Examples from the poem**:
**Purpose**: Helps readers **understand Mrs. Jones' love for plants** and **visualize the garden's peculiar nature**. The repeated stone imagery emphasizes the rocky nature of the garden while small plant imagery contrasts with it.
**Irony** is a literary device emphasizing the difference between what is expected and what actually happens.
**Situational irony in the poem**:
**Effect**: Creates a surprising, humorous twist that reveals Mrs. Jones' perspective—she values beauty in the smallest, most overlooked plants.
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**Pun**: A figure of speech using words with **multiple meanings** or words that **sound alike but have different meanings**, creating a **humorous effect**.
1. **Literal meaning**: The garden contains actual concrete or stone structures (the "stones" mentioned throughout)
2. **Symbolic/Metaphorical meaning**: The poem provides a **specific, clear, tangible example** of Mrs. Jones' unique and unconventional gardening habits
**How it works**: "Concrete" describes both the physical garden materials and the clear illustration the poem provides. The wordplay demonstrates wit and connects the form to the content.
**Other pun examples** (from chapter):
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**Rhyme scheme**: The pattern of rhymes at the end of lines in a poem.
**The poem's rhyme scheme**: **AABBCC**
**Effect**: The consistent rhyme scheme creates a sing-song, lighthearted quality appropriate to the humorous tone.
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**Personality traits revealed through the poem**:
1. **Fascination with unusual items** (answers A correctly for sundial question)
2. **Passionate about gardening** despite limited natural beauty
3. **Values things differently from others**
4. **Patient and enthusiastic**
5. **Has a sense of humor and wisdom**
**Positive portrayal**: The poem presents Mrs. Jones positively through:
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1. **'strange device'** → **unusual, peculiar** (most fitting)
2. **'rather nice'** → **pleasant, charming, agreeable** (most fitting)
3. **'delicate'** → **fragile, dainty, graceful** (most fitting)
4. **'cried'** → **exclaimed, shouted** (most fitting)
**Device**: An object, gadget, or piece of equipment made or adapted for a particular purpose.
**Classification of instruments**:
1. **Implement**: Something used by hand to make or repair (e.g., spade, knife, axe)
2. **Tool**: Something specific used by hand for a particular task (e.g., hammer, saw, screwdriver)
3. **Equipment**: A set of necessary items for a particular purpose (e.g., cricket bat, helmet, batting gloves)
4. **Appliance**: Something electrical used to do work in the house (e.g., mixer grinder, washing machine, refrigerator)
5. **Gadget**: Something small that is mechanical or electronic (e.g., mobile phone, laptop, camera)
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**Create new words by replacing the first letter**:
**From "nice"**:
**From "soil"**:
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**(i) Inference about Mrs. Jones' taste**:
Mrs. Jones has **unconventional and individual taste in gardening**. Rather than creating a traditional flower garden, she deliberately chooses stones and rocks as the dominant feature, suggesting:
**(ii) True or False: "The garden serves as a means to reveal more about Mrs. Jones herself"**
**TRUE**. The garden directly reveals Mrs. Jones' personality, values, and perspective. Through her gardening choices, we understand her as eccentric, passionate, thoughtful, and seeing beauty in the overlooked.
**(iii) Meaning of 'crazy path'**:
A **'crazy path'** is:
**(iv) 'Strange device' and Mrs. Jones' personality**: **Answer A — She has a fascination with unusual items**
The sundial itself is already a somewhat old-fashioned garden feature, but adding a "strange device" to it shows Mrs. Jones actively seeks distinctive, unusual ornaments. This reveals her interest in peculiar, individualistic garden décor.
**1. How does Mrs. Jones feel about her garden?**
Mrs. Jones is **deeply proud and passionate about her garden**. Evidence:
**2. Why does the speaker describe plants as planted with a pin?**
**Hyperbolic exaggeration** used for comic effect:
**3. What do we know about Mrs. Jones based on gardening style and interaction?**
**4. Positive portrayal support**:
The poem portrays Mrs. Jones positively through:
**5. Different perspectives on the world**:
The poem teaches that:
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**Situation (i): Eaten brother's sweets**
**Situation (ii): Broken sister's craft**
**Situation (iii): Spilled ink on mother's documents**
**Situation (iv): Forgot friend's notebook**
**Situation (i): Did not submit assignment**
**Situation (ii): Late to school**
**Situation (iii): Did not submit project work**
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**A notice** is a formal announcement displayed publicly to inform a group of people about an event, decision, or important information.
```
[Name of Organization/School]
NOTICE
Date: [DD/MM/YYYY]
Title: [Clear, specific title]
Body:
Name of Writer
Class
Signature
```
1. **Use formal language** and third-person perspective
2. **Be concise and clear** with essential information
3. **Include all relevant details**: date, time, venue, purpose
4. **Provide contact information** for questions
5. **Use a bordered box** to make it stand out
6. **Use proper punctuation** and professional tone
7. **Mention eligibility** (which grades/students)
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**ST. WISDOM PUBLIC SCHOOL**
**NOTICE**
**Date**: 15th November, 20XX
**Title**: Inauguration of School Herb Garden
This is to inform all students of Grades 6–8 that the **Nature Club** is pleased to announce the **inauguration of the Herb Garden** on **Saturday, 20th November, 20XX** at **3:00 P.M.** in the **School Garden Area**.
The garden features medicinal and culinary herbs including basil, mint, turmeric, tulsi, and aloe vera. Students will learn about the benefits of these plants and their applications.
All interested students are cordially invited to attend. Participation is voluntary but highly encouraged. Light refreshments will be provided.
**For further information, contact**:
**Name**: Rohan Verma
**Class**: 8-A
**Signature**: _____________
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Students should research and present:
**Indian examples**: Lodhi Gardens (Delhi), Lalbagh (Bangalore), Rani Bagh (Udaipur), Ooty Botanical Garden (Tamil Nadu), Brindavan Gardens (Karnataka)
**Steps**:
1. **Collect fallen flowers and leaves** from your neighborhood (do not pluck live plants)
2. **Place carefully in newspaper folds** to prevent damage
3. **Stack heavy books on top** for weight and pressure
4. **Wait one week** for complete drying and pressing
5. **Create artwork**: cards, wall hangings, framed displays, scrapbooks
6. **Add labels** with plant names and dates
7. **Preserve for study** and artistic appreciation
**Benefits**:
**Connection to chapter**: This poem also celebrates gardens and nature's beauty, similar to the lesson's themes.
**Key poetic devices** in this poem:
**Similarity to "A Concrete Example"**: Both poems use gardens to explore human perception and appreciation of beauty, though Toru Dutt celebrates grand, obvious beauty while Arkell celebrates overlooked, humble beauty.
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1. **Title meaning**: Understand both literal (concrete material) and metaphorical (clear example) meanings
2. **Rhyme scheme**: AABBCC pattern throughout
3. **Refrain**: "My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Jones" — know its purpose
4. **Literary devices**: Identify alliteration, imagery, situational irony with text evidence
5. **Character understanding**: Mrs. Jones values unconventional beauty and overlooked details
6. **Theme**: Perspective matters; people see the world differently; beauty exists in unexpected places
7. **Irony**: The speaker doesn't realize standing on the very flower being discussed
8. **Vocabulary**: Know synonyms and word classifications (tool, implement, device, appliance, gadget)
9. **Notice writing**: Formal, clear, includes all essential details, boxed format
10. **Apology language**: Formal phrases for authority, informal for peers
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**Individuality**: Mrs. Jones pursues her unique garden vision without conforming to conventional gardening standards.
**Perspective and Perception**: What one person overlooks (tiny plants), another treasures deeply. The same garden holds different meanings for different people.
**Hidden Beauty**: The poem emphasizes that beauty and value are not always obvious; careful attention reveals overlooked wonders.
**Acceptance and Appreciation**: The speaker's journey from bemusement to understanding represents learning to appreciate what makes others unique.
**Humility and Wisdom**: Mrs. Jones' gentle correction teaches that conventional perspectives are not always correct.
Q1. In the poem, what does the refrain 'My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Jones' primarily achieve?
Answer: A — The repeated refrain at the beginning of each stanza keeps the reader's attention on Mrs. Jones and her distinctive gardening style throughout the poem.
Q2. Which of the following is NOT a correct interpretation of the title 'A Concrete Example'?
Answer: D — The poem clearly shows Mrs. Jones plants delicate flowers among the stones; the title does not mean she uses only concrete with no plants.
Q3. What is the rhyme scheme of 'A Concrete Example'?
Answer: B — Lines rhyme consecutively in pairs: stones/Jones, pond/beyond, device/nice, creating the AABBCC pattern.
Q4. Why does the speaker describe the plants as being so small that they must be planted 'with a pin'?
Answer: B — The phrase is hyperbolic exaggeration used to highlight that the plants are so tiny they seem impossible to plant normally, making them nearly invisible.
Q5. The speaker stands on the lovely flower while asking where it is. This example best demonstrates which literary device?
Answer: C — Situational irony occurs when the outcome is opposite to expectations; the speaker is literally on what they are searching for.
Q6. What can be inferred about Mrs. Jones from the description of her garden being 'full of stones' with delicate plants?
Answer: B — The poem shows Mrs. Jones treasures both the stones and the tiny hidden plants, suggesting she appreciates beauty in unexpected places and unusual arrangements.
Q7. Read the extract: 'They are so delicate and small, / they don't mean anything at all.' What does the speaker mean by saying the plants 'don't mean anything at all'?
Answer: C — The speaker initially finds the tiny plants insignificant because they are barely visible among the stones, though the later interaction reveals Mrs. Jones values them highly.
Q8. Which line from the poem contains alliteration?
Answer: D — The 's' sound repeats in 'standing' and 'she' in the final line, creating alliteration that adds emphasis to the poem's punchline.
Q9. What does the speaker learn about Mrs. Jones by the end of the poem? (HOTS)
Answer: B — Through the ironic ending, the speaker realizes Mrs. Jones finds profound beauty in small, hidden details like the flower the speaker was unknowingly standing on.
Q10. How does the pun in the title 'A Concrete Example' relate to the poem's central message?
Answer: B — The pun mirrors the poem's theme: just as 'concrete' has both literal (stones) and metaphorical (clear example) meanings, Mrs. Jones finds multiple layers of meaning in her seemingly simple stony garden.
What is a pun? Give an example from 'A Concrete Example.'
A pun uses words with multiple meanings for humorous effect; the title 'A Concrete Example' means both the physical stones in the garden and a clear illustration of Mrs. Jones' unusual gardening style.
What is situational irony in the poem?
Situational irony occurs when the outcome is opposite to expectations; the speaker is standing on the lovely flower while asking where it is.
Identify the refrain in the poem.
The refrain is 'My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Jones,' which repeats at the beginning of each stanza to emphasize focus on the character.
What does 'delicate' mean in the context of the poem?
Delicate means fragile, small, and requiring careful handling, describing the tiny plants Mrs. Jones plants between the stones.
What is the rhyme scheme of 'A Concrete Example'?
The rhyme scheme is AABBCC, where consecutive lines rhyme in pairs, creating a regular couplet pattern throughout the poem.
How does the speaker's tone change throughout the poem?
The speaker begins with mild mockery but ends with humorous appreciation, showing a light-hearted acceptance of Mrs. Jones' unique perspective.
Why does the poet say the plants are planted 'with a pin'?
The speaker uses exaggeration to emphasize that the plants are so tiny and delicate they seem almost invisible or impossible to plant.
What does 'strange device' suggest about the sundial?
It suggests the sundial is unusual or unconventional, revealing Mrs. Jones' fascination with unique and interesting garden decorations.
What is the difference between a device and a tool?
A device is a mechanical or electronic instrument designed to do a specific task, while a tool is a handheld instrument used for work.
What does the garden symbolize in the poem?
The garden symbolizes individual perspective and taste; what appears ordinary to one person is beautiful and special to another.
What is situational irony? Identify one example of situational irony from 'A Concrete Example' and explain why it is ironic. [2 marks]
Situational irony occurs when what happens is opposite to what is expected. Focus on the ending where the speaker searches for something they are already on or near.
Explain how the title 'A Concrete Example' uses wordplay (pun). What are its two meanings in the context of the poem? [3 marks]
A pun uses words with multiple meanings for humorous effect. 'Concrete' refers to both the physical material (stones) in the garden and the symbolic meaning (a clear illustration of Mrs. Jones' unique gardening style). Explain both meanings and how they connect.
Analyze Mrs. Jones's character based on her gardening style and her interaction with the speaker. What do her choices reveal about her personality and values? Support your answer with specific evidence from the poem. [5 marks]
Consider: what plants she chooses (delicate, small); where she places them (between stones); what objects matter to her (sundial, lily pond); how she responds to the speaker's questions. Connect these details to broader themes about perspective, unconventional beauty, and personal values. Explain how the speaker's initial mockery transforms into understanding by the poem's end.
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