Here are some MCQ questions for Class 12 English based on the poem “An Elementary School Classroom in a Slum” from the NCERT Flamingo book. You can download the PDF for free. These questions follow the latest exam pattern. We have included answers to help students grasp the concepts better. You can also practice Class 12 English NCERT Solutions on IL.
Also Check: Keeping Quiet Class 12 MCQ Questions | CBSE Class 12 Subject Wise MCQs
Elementary School Classroom in a Slum MCQ Question with Answers
Question: What is the primary focus of the poem “Elementary School Classroom in a Slum”?
A) The beauty of nature
B) The challenges faced by children in a slum school
C) Advanced scientific concepts
D) History and traditions
Answer: B
Question: Who wrote the poem “Elementary School Classroom in a Slum”?
A) Robert Frost
B) William Wordsworth
C) Stephen Spender
D) Langston Hughes
Answer: C
Question: What does the classroom in the poem primarily lack?
A) Furniture
B) Books and educational resources
C) Students
D) Light and ventilation
Answer: B
Question: How are the children described in the poem?
A) Happy and healthy
B) Energetic and lively
C) Pale and malnourished
D) Rich and privileged
Answer: C
Question: What symbolizes the dreams and aspirations of the children in the poem?
A) The window
B) The wall with pictures
C) The teacher
D) The blackboard
Answer: B
Question: What does the poet compare the children’s future to?
A) An endless night
B) A bright sunny day
C) A green forest
D) A dark, hopeless path
Answer: D
Question: Which figure of speech is predominantly used in the poem?
A) Simile
B) Metaphor
C) Alliteration
D) Hyperbole
Answer: B
Question: What does the poet suggest about the education system in the poem?
A) It is very effective
B) It is biased and ineffective
C) It is well-funded
D) It is modern and innovative
Answer: B
Question: The walls of the classroom are decorated with pictures of:
A) Famous scientists
B) Beautiful landscapes and famous buildings
C) Historical battles
D) The local neighborhood
Answer: B
Question: What does the poet wish for the children?
A) To stay in the slum forever
B) To break free from the slum and explore the world
C) To ignore their dreams
D) To accept their fate
Answer: B
Question: The children’s eyes in the poem are described as:
A) Bright and sparkling
B) Hopeful and dreamy
C) Sunken and tired
D) Large and curious
Answer: C
Question: Which word best describes the general atmosphere in the classroom?
A) Joyful
B) Optimistic
C) Gloomy
D) Exciting
Answer: C
Question: The slum children are compared to:
A) Flowers blooming
B) Birds flying high
C) Foggy slum alleys
D) Stars in the sky
Answer: C
Question: What is the tone of the poem?
A) Celebratory
B) Satirical
C) Sympathetic and critical
D) Indifferent
Answer: C
Question: What does the map on the wall represent in the poem?
A) The children’s current reality
B) The limited world of the children
C) The future aspirations of the children
D) The past glories of their ancestors
Answer: C
Question: The poet calls the map ‘a bad example’ because:
A) It is inaccurate
B) It is irrelevant to the children’s lives
C) It is outdated
D) It is beautiful
Answer: B
Question: Why does the poet mention ‘slag heap’?
A) To describe the physical appearance of the children
B) To depict the wealth of the area
C) To praise the educational system
D) To show the richness of resources
Answer: A
Question: What does the poet mean by ‘their future is painted with a fog’?
A) The children’s future is uncertain and bleak
B) The children have a bright future
C) The children will become artists
D) The children’s future is clear and bright
Answer: A
Question: The ‘cloudless dawn’ mentioned in the poem represents:
A) A new beginning
B) Continuous hardship
C) Endless night
D) An easy life
Answer: A
Question: What does the poet mean by ‘Shakespeare is wicked’?
A) Shakespeare was a bad person
B) Shakespearean works are beyond the children’s reach and add to their misery
C) Shakespeare’s works are easy
D) Shakespeare’s works are written for children
Answer: B
Question: Why does the poet refer to the pictures on the wall as ‘donations’?
A) They were bought by the school
B) They were donated by wealthy patrons, irrelevant to the children’s lives
C) They were drawn by the children
D) They are examples of art
Answer: B
Question: In the poem, the ‘narrow street sealed in with a lead sky’ implies:
A) The children’s lives are full of opportunities
B) The children’s lives are constrained and hopeless
C) The children’s lives are comfortable
D) The children’s lives are luxurious
Answer: B
Question: What does the poet suggest by saying, ‘Let their tongues run naked into books’?
A) Children should not read books
B) Children should be free to learn and explore knowledge
C) Books should be censored
D) Books are not important
Answer: B
Question: The poet mentions ‘lead sky’ to signify:
A) Bright and sunny weather
B) Gloomy and oppressive environment
C) Wealth and prosperity
D) Clear and open sky
Answer: B
Question: Why does the poet describe the children’s future as ‘foggy’?
A) Because it is clear and bright
B) Because it is uncertain and bleak
C) Because it is full of light
D) Because it is easy
Answer: B
Question: The poet describes the children’s eyes as ‘like rootless weeds’ to imply:
A) They are well-nourished and healthy
B) They lack stability and nourishment
C) They are deeply rooted and strong
D) They are sparkling and bright
Answer: B
Question: Why does the poet call the map a ‘window’ in the poem?
A) Because it provides an escape from reality
B) Because it shows a clear view of the outside world
C) Because it is transparent
D) Because it is colorful
Answer: A
Question: The poet’s description of the classroom walls ‘sour cream walls’ suggests:
A) Freshly painted walls
B) Clean and bright walls
C) Decaying and dull walls
D) Colorful and vibrant walls
Answer: C
Question: What does the poet mean by ‘this map becomes their window’?
A) The map is a literal window
B) The map represents a glimpse into a world beyond their reach
C) The map is a decoration
D) The map is a toy for the children
Answer: B
Question: How does the poet describe the children’s hair?
A) Short and neat
B) Long and beautiful
C) Untidy and unkempt
D) Bright and shiny
Answer: C
Question: What does the poet imply by ‘their lives are like rootless weeds’?
A) The children are well-settled
B) The children’s lives are unstable and lack nourishment
C) The children are growing strong
D) The children are content
Answer: B
Question: What do ‘open-handed maps’ symbolize in the poem?
A) Generosity
B) Accessibility to the world
C) Freedom and opportunities out of reach for the children
D) Closed boundaries
Answer: C
Question: Why does the poet refer to the classroom as ‘dim’?
A) Because it is brightly lit
B) Because it has ample sunlight
C) Because it lacks proper lighting and represents a dark future
D) Because it is a night class
Answer: C
Question: The ‘civilized dome’ mentioned in the poem refers to:
A) The school’s ceiling
B) The government buildings that seem inaccessible to the children
C) A sports arena
D) A religious structure
Answer: B
Question: Why does the poet call the map ‘a bad example’ for these children?
A) Because it is incorrect
B) Because it sets unrealistic aspirations for the children
C) Because it is boring
D) Because it is too colorful
Answer: B
Question: The children in the poem are portrayed as:
A) Happy and playful
B) Tired and burdened
C) Mischievous and energetic
D) Well-fed and content
Answer: B
Question: Why does the poet mention ‘far far from rivers, capes, and stars of words’?
A) To indicate the geographical isolation of the children
B) To show the wealth of the area
C) To depict the children’s affinity for nature
D) To signify the children’s love for literature
Answer: A
Question: What do ‘slums as big as doom’ signify in the poem?
A) Prosperous future
B) The vast and bleak reality of the children’s lives
C) Small homes
D) Beautiful surroundings
Answer: B
Question: The poet’s use of ‘foggy slum’ in the poem symbolizes:
A) Clear and hopeful future
B) Bright and exciting present
C) Uncertainty and obscurity in the children’s lives
D) Joy and happiness
Answer: C
Question: The poet wishes that the children should have:
A) Limited education
B) Exposure to nature and a better future
C) No books
D) Less freedom
Answer: B
Question: Why does the poet want the ‘windows’ to be ‘shut upon their lives’?
A) To keep the children warm
B) To highlight the separation from the outside world
C) To keep the classroom quiet
D) To prevent sunlight
Answer: B
Question: The ‘spectacles of steel’ mentioned in the poem refer to:
A) The children’s strong vision
B) The children’s dreams and aspirations
C) The grim reality and hardships faced by the children
D) The children’s wealth
Answer: C
Question: What does ‘slag heap’ symbolize in the poem?
A) Wealth and prosperity
B) The children’s lifeless and impoverished condition
C) The children’s enthusiasm
D) Natural beauty
Answer: B
Question: The ‘future’s painted with a fog’ implies:
A) A clear and bright future
B) An uncertain and bleak future
C) A future full of opportunities
D) A colorful and exciting future
Answer: B
Question: What does the poet mean by ‘let their tongues run naked into books’?
A) The children should avoid books
B) The children should freely explore and learn from books
C) Books are not important for children
D) Children should keep silent
Answer: B
