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A Friend Found in Music

NCERT Class 9 · English Based on NCERT Class 9 English textbook · Free CBSE study kit

Chapter Notes

**Theme:** Music as emotional companion and therapeutic force in life.

**Key Metaphors:**

Music = ocean (pulls to shore)

Music = rhythm (moves to core)

Music = therapy (heals sadness)

Music = needed friend (during loneliness)

**Literary Devices:**

  • Metaphor: Abstract comparison without like/as
  • Rhyme Scheme: AABB pattern
  • Repetition: Music repeated for emphasis
  • Personification: Music given human qualities
  • **Phrasal Verbs:** pull through = survive difficulty

    **Emotions:** Happiness, comfort, strength, gratitude

    **Poet's Attitude:** Music is vital, essential, dependable throughout life's challenges.

    MCQs — 10 Questions with Answers

    Q1. Which of the following is a metaphor used in the poem?

    • A. Music is the ocean that pulls me to the shore ✓
    • B. Music is like an ocean
    • C. Music sounds like the ocean
    • D. Music reminds me of the ocean

    Answer: A — Option A is a metaphor as it directly compares music to an ocean without using like or as.

    Q2. What does the phrase feel blue indicate?

    • A. Feeling sad and depressed ✓
    • B. Feeling cold and shivering
    • C. Feeling calm and peaceful
    • D. Feeling excited and energetic

    Answer: A — Feel blue is an idiom that means to feel sad, unhappy, or emotionally low.

    Q3. The rhyme scheme of the poem is:

    • A. ABAB
    • B. AABB ✓
    • C. ABCB
    • D. AAAA

    Answer: B — Consecutive lines rhyme with each other: shore/core, blue/through, following AABB pattern.

    Q4. Which line shows that music makes the poet happy?

    • A. Music is the therapy I need when I feel blue
    • B. Music lifts my spirits to make sure I pull through ✓
    • C. Music is the needed friend when no one seems to care
    • D. Music is the rhythm that moves me to the core

    Answer: B — This line directly states that music lifts spirits and helps the poet overcome difficulties, indicating happiness.

    Q5. What is the central idea of the poem?

    • A. Music brings comfort during sadness ✓
    • B. Music is a necessity in times of happiness
    • C. Music improves the ability to work hard
    • D. Music is a source of knowledge and excitement

    Answer: A — The poem emphasizes music's therapeutic role during emotional hardship and loneliness, not happiness alone.

    Q6. Which of the following is NOT an emotion expressed in the poem?

    • A. Sadness
    • B. Gratitude
    • C. Anger ✓
    • D. Loneliness

    Answer: C — The poem expresses sadness, gratitude, and loneliness but does not mention anger or rage.

    Q7. The poet compares music to a needed friend because:

    • A. Music is always available when the poet feels lonely ✓
    • B. Music costs nothing and sounds beautiful
    • C. Music is popular among all people in society
    • D. Music teaches important life lessons

    Answer: A — The poem states music is a needed friend when no one seems to care, showing music's constant availability during loneliness.

    Q8. What does the phrasal verb pull through mean in the context of the poem?

    • A. To physically move something
    • B. To survive or overcome difficulty ✓
    • C. To attract someone's attention
    • D. To withdraw from a situation

    Answer: B — Pull through means to successfully survive or overcome a difficult, challenging situation.

    Q9. Scenario: A student is stressed before exams. According to the poem's message, how can music help? [HOTS]

    • A. Music will improve the student's grades automatically
    • B. Music acts as therapy, lifts spirits, and provides emotional strength during stress ✓
    • C. Music will eliminate the need to study
    • D. Music makes exams easier to understand

    Answer: B — The poem's message emphasizes music's therapeutic power to provide emotional support and strength during challenging times.

    Q10. Which statement about the poem is FALSE?

    • A. The poet sees music as essential to survival
    • B. Music is compared to both ocean and therapy
    • C. The poet views music only as entertainment ✓
    • D. Music helps the poet during loneliness

    Answer: C — The poem treats music as deeply essential and therapeutic, not merely as entertainment or pastime.

    Flashcards

    What does the poem title mean?

    Music is personified as a friend who provides emotional support and companionship to the poet.

    Name one metaphor from the poem.

    Music is the ocean that pulls the poet to the shore, comparing music to a vast, powerful force.

    What does feel blue mean?

    Feel blue means to feel sad, unhappy, or emotionally depressed about something.

    Define phrasal verb with example.

    A phrasal verb combines a verb with preposition or adverb; pull through means to survive difficult times.

    What is the rhyme scheme of the poem?

    The poem follows AABB rhyme scheme where consecutive lines rhyme with each other throughout.

    How does music lift spirits?

    Music provides emotional therapy by comforting sadness, giving strength, and restoring hope during difficult moments.

    What message does the poet convey?

    Music is essential for emotional well-being and acts as a reliable friend during loneliness and hardship.

    Identify the mood of the poem.

    The mood is thoughtful and nostalgic, reflecting gratitude for music's role in emotional healing.

    Who is the author of this poem?

    The poem is written by Bryanna T. Perkins about the therapeutic power of music.

    What does pull through mean?

    Pull through is a phrasal verb meaning to survive or overcome a difficult, challenging situation successfully.

    Important Board Questions

    Fill in the blanks: Music is the _____ I need when I feel _____. What emotions do these words express? [2 marks]

    Answer: therapy, blue. These words express negative emotions (sadness) that music helps heal.

    Identify two metaphors from the poem and rewrite them as similes. What effect do the metaphors have on the poem? [3 marks]

    Metaphors: Music is ocean; Music is rhythm. Metaphors create stronger, more powerful imagery than similes by direct comparison.

    How does the poet's use of repetition of the word music strengthen the poem's message? Explain the central theme and support with evidence from the text. [HOTS] [5 marks]

    Repetition emphasizes music's importance throughout life. Theme: Music is essential emotional companion. Evidence: repeated in each stanza; described as therapy, friend, ocean, rhythm showing multiple roles.

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