A Concrete Example

Let us do these activities before we read.

I Read the names of items you usually find in a garden and write their
names against each picture given below.

garden hose, sapling, hedge, flower beds, flower pot, pebbles, rockery,
fence, vine, wheelbarrow

II Work in groups of four. What kind of garden would you like to have?
Mention the features that you can include and the reasons for your
choice. Share your answers with your classmates and teacher.

III Read the title of the poem. What comes to your mind when you read
the word ‘concrete’? Does it have more than one meaning ? Share your
answers with your classmates and teacher.

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Let us read

My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Jones,

has got a garden full of stones:
A crazy path, a lily pond,
a rockery and, just beyond
A sundial with a strange device,
which Mrs. Jones thinks rather nice.

My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Jones,

puts little plants between the stones
They are so delicate and small,
they don’t mean anything at all.
I can’t think how she gets them in,
unless she plants them with a pin.

My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Jones,

once asked me round to see her stones.
We stood and talked about a flower
for quite a quarter of an hour.
“Where is this lovely thing?” I cried.
“You’re standing on it,” she replied.

Reginald Arkell

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Let us discuss
I Complete the following summary with exact words from the poem. One
example has been done for you. Share your answers with your classmates
and teacher.

The poem describes Mrs. Jones, the speaker’s next-door neighbour,

who has a unique garden filled with 1. _________. Her garden includes
a peculiar 2. _________, a pond, and a rockery, along with an unusual
3. _________ that she finds charming. Mrs. Jones plants tiny, 4. _________
plants between the stones, which the speaker thinks must be so small
that they are planted with a 5. _________. One day, Mrs. Jones invites the
speaker to see her garden, and they discuss a 6. _________ that Mrs. Jones
treasures. When the speaker asks where the 7. _________ flower is,
Mrs. Jones says that the speaker has been 8. _________ on it all along.
II Select the correct option to fill in the blanks for the following sentences.
1. The tone of the poem is ____________.
(i) mocking
(ii) humorous
(iii) mournful
(iv) amusing
(v) light-hearted
A. (i), (ii), and (iii)
B. (i), (ii), and (v)
C. (ii), (iii), and (iv)
D. (ii), (iv), and (v)
2. The speaker in the poem is ____________.
(i) Mrs. Jones
(ii) the poet
(iii) a gardener
(iv) a child
3. The rhyme scheme of the poem is _________.
(i) AABBCC
(ii) ABABCC
(iii) AABCAC
(iv) ABBACC

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III Complete the following sentences by choosing the correct answer given
in the brackets.
1. The poet uses the word ‘stones’ in all stanzas in order to emphasise
her ________. (obsession with a stony garden/pride in gardening skills)
2. The poet uses imagery to describe the features of the garden that help
readers _____________. (understand Mrs. Jones’ love for plants/visualise
the garden’s peculiar nature)
IV Pick examples of alliteration from the poem.
V A refrain is a repeated line or phrase that appears in each stanza.
Identify the refrain from the poem.
VI Irony is a literary device that emphasises the difference between what is
expected and what actually happens. It often involves a situation where
the outcome is the opposite of what is expected, creating a surprising or
a humorous effect. For example, Mrs. Jones’ excitement about her garden
contrasts with the speaker’s disappointment on how ordinary it is.
Identify the line(s) from the poem that display(s) situational irony.
VII Complete the following sentences appropriately.
1. The word ‘concrete’ can refer to ______________ in Mrs. Jones’ garden.
2. The title also has a symbolic meaning, as the poem provides a clear or
‘concrete’ example of Mrs. Jones’ ______________ gardening habits.
VIII The title ‘A Concrete Example’ carries both literal and symbolic
(metaphorical) meaning. Such word play is called a pun. A pun is a figure
of speech that uses words with multiple meanings or words that sound
alike but have different meanings, creating a humorous effect.
• I tried arguing with my pencil but it kept making sharp points. (suggests
the idea of an actual sharp pencil point and strong argument points)
• My pencil and I had a disagreement but we finally got to the point.
(refers to solving an argument and the pencil’s tip)

Let us think and reflect

I Read the given extract and answer the questions that follow.
1. My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Jones,
has got a garden full of stones:
A crazy path, a lily pond,
a rockery and, just beyond
A sundial with a strange device,
which Mrs. Jones thinks rather nice.
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 Wit and Wisdom

(i) What can be inferred about Mrs. Jones’s taste in gardening from the
description of her garden being ‘full of stones’?
(ii) Identify whether the following statement is true or false.
The garden serves as a means to reveal more about Mrs. Jones herself.
(iii) What does the poet mean by ‘crazy path’?
(iv) What does the sundial with a ‘strange device’ suggest about
Mrs. Jones’ personality?
A. She has a fascination with unusual items.
B. She prefers traditional garden decorations.
C. She is uninterested in her garden’s appearance.
D. She likes modern and expensive items.

II Answer the following questions.

1. How does Mrs. Jones feel about her garden? Support your answer with
evidence from the poem.
2. Why do you think the speaker describes the plants as being so small
that they could be planted with a pin?
3. What do we get to know about Mrs. Jones—based on her gardening
style and her interaction with the speaker?
4. The poem portrays Mrs. Jones in a positive light. Support this statement.
5. What does the poem tell us about the way people think differently
about the world around them?

Let us learn
I Select the appropriate word from the brackets that correctly replaces
the underlined word in the sentences from the text.
1. A sundial with a strange device,
(unusual, peculiar, new, rare, external)
2. … which Mrs. Jones thinks rather nice.
(pleasant, superior, agreeable, gentle, charming)
3. They are so delicate…
(delicious, fragile, dainty, graceful, weak)
4. “Where is this lovely thing?” I cried.
(exclaimed, wept, shouted, announced, whispered)

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II The ‘sundial’ is referred to as a ‘device’ in the poem. Work in pairs to

infer the meaning of ‘device’. Share your thoughts with your classmates
and teacher.

Now, match the type of instruments in Column 1 with their definitions

in Column 2. Column 3 shows one example of each type of instrument.
Add more examples in Column 3.

Column 1 Column 2 Column 3

1. implement (i) something that is spade, knife

electrical and is
used to do work in
the house
2. tool (ii) something small hammer
that is mechanical
or electronic
3. equipment (iii) something that cricket bat, helmet,
works on being batting gloves, etc.
moved by hand
4. appliance (iv) a set of necessary mixer grinder
items for a
particular purpose
5. gadget (v) something used by mobile phone, laptop
hand to make or
repair

III Complete the table by making new words in Column 1 using the hints
given in Column 2. Replace the first letter of the given word to create
new words. One example has been done for you.

1. Column 1 Column 2

nice

(i) dice cut into small pieces

(ii) grain that we cook

(iii) plural of mouse

(iv) bad habit

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2.
Column 1 Column 2

soil

(i) heat something

(ii) work very hard

(iii) length of wire in a circle

(iv) sheets to wrap food items

Let us listen
I You will listen to a presentation about the wonderful
Rock Garden of Chandigarh. As you listen, answer the
following questions using one to three exact words from
the presentation. (Transcript for teacher on page 47)
1. Where was Nek Chand’s Rock Garden featured?
2. What kind of sculptures does the Rock Garden have?
3. How is the Rock Garden divided?
4. Name any one thing that has been transformed into a
piece of art in the Rock Garden.
5. Approximately, how many statues border the
Rock Garden?

Let us speak
I The speaker of the poem might have felt sorry for stepping on Mrs. Jones’
flower. When we make a mistake, we must express regret and apologise
for our actions.
1. When we apologise to a friend or a family member, we use informal
language. Take turns to apologise for the following situations and
respond to the apology.
(i) You have eaten your brother’s share of sweets.
(ii) You have broken your sister’s flower craft.
(iii) You accidentally spilled ink on your mother’s important documents.
(iv) You forgot to bring your friend’s notebook to the school after
borrowing it.

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You may use the following phrases given below.

Phrases for Apology Phrases to Respond to Apology

• I’m sorry about… • That’s alright.

• I’m really sorry… • It’s no big deal.

• Please forgive • No problem.

me for…
• Sorry, I didn’t • These things happen.
mean to…
2. When we apologise to someone in authority like a Principal or a
teacher in a formal setting, we use formal language. Work in pairs
and take turns to apologise for the following situations and respond to
the apology.
(i) You did not bring an assignment that was due for submission.
(ii) You were late to school for the past three days and had to meet
the Principal.
(iii) You did not submit your project work and were asked to explain.

You may use the phrases given below.

Phrases for Apology Phrases to Respond to Apology

• I’m extremely • I accept your apology.

sorry for… Please ensure you…
I promise it
won’t happen
again.
• I owe you an • I appreciate you saying this,
apology for… but…
I’ll do my best
not to repeat it.

• I really regret… • I’m glad you realised your

I assure you that mistake…
this will never
happen again.

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Unit [Link] 24 13-05-2025 12:04:34

 Wit and Wisdom

Let us write

You are a member of the

Nature Club of your school.
Draft a notice informing
the students of Grades 6–8
about the inauguration of the
Herb Garden.

Points to remember:
• Mention the purpose of
writing, date, time, venue,
and any other relevant
information—whom to
contact, when, and where.
• Use formal language in the
third person form.
• Write the notice in a box.

NAME OF THE ORGANISATION

NOTICE

Date

Title
(Body of the notice)

Name

Signature

Class

Let us explore
I Amrit Udyan is a garden spread over an expanse of 15 acres around
Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi. It has multiple attractions that include
a specially curated garden for children called Bal Vatika, a treehouse,
nature’s classroom, etc. It also has the Bonsai, Herbal-I, Herbal-II, Tactile
Garden, Arogya Vanam, and Circular Gardens with a diverse variety of
flora and fauna.

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Now, find out about popular gardens

in your region and share with your
classmates and teacher.

II A herbarium is a collection of plant

samples preserved for long-term study,
usually in the form of dried and pressed
plants mounted on paper.

You may follow the link given below for a virtual tour
of Amrit Udyan.
[Link]

Now, collect some fallen flowers and

leaves from your neighbourhood. Place
them in folds of a newspaper carefully
and put a pile of books on them. After
one week, take them out and use them to
make a card, wall hanging or any other
artwork. A sample has been given for
your reference.

III Read and enjoy the poem.

A Sea of Foliage
A sea of foliage girds our garden round,
But not a sea of dull unvaried green,
Sharp contrasts of all colours here are seen;
The light-green graceful tamarinds abound
Amid the mango clumps of green profound,
And palms arise, like pillars gray, between;
And o’er the quiet pools the seemuls lean,
Red—red, and startling like a trumpet’s sound.
But nothing can be lovelier than the ranges
Of bamboos to the eastward, when the moon
Looks through their gaps, and the white lotus changes
Into a cup of silver. One might swoon
Drunken with beauty then, or gaze and gaze
On a primeval Eden, in amaze.
Toru Dutt

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Unit [Link] 26 13-05-2025 12:04:36