The Awakening Age Exercise
The Awakening Age Exercise Class 12 English: Questions Answers
The Awakening Age Summary
Before Reading
Discuss the following questions:
- a. Why do you think people from your country migrate to another country?
- b. Do people from other countries migrate to your country? Why?
Understanding the text
Answer the following questions.
a. Who are the people 'who travel the meridian line?
Answer➜ The people “who travel the meridian line are the Nigerians who have come together after Nigeria's long civil war, which split the country into two halves: north and south.
b. What does the poet mean by ‘a new world’?
Answer➜ The poet implies a beautiful world full of hope, wealth, unity, truth, knowledge, and creativity when he says “a new world.” Following the emergence of civil peace in Nigeria, people have experienced the world of a unified Nigeria
.
c. How are people connected to each other?
Answer➜ People are connected through the strong bond of hope and optimism derived from history. They have believed in their dreams and want to gain the new height of unity and prosperity. The connection is due to strong dedication towards optimism.
d. What can we gain after our perceptions are changed?
Answer➜ We can gain varieties of things after our perceptions are changed. Through changed perceptions, we can gain truthfulness away from problems and pains. When our perceptions are changed, we will be able to gain unity, truth, prosperity, work, wisdom and creativity.
e. How are we benefited by new people?
Answer➜ We are benefitted with their supportive works with wisdom, and creativity. It helps to reach the height of success and prosperity.
f. Describe the rhyme scheme of this sonnet.
Answer➜ The poem has seven couplets having two lines. The rhyme pattern of the poem is very simple and sonorous. It follows the rhyme scheme AA BB CC DD EE FF GG.
Reference to the context
a. What does the poet mean by ‘the awakening age’?
Answer➜ As the word glorifies itself, ‘the awakening age’ refers to the period when Africans realize and become conscious about their situation as well as the time to create their new world. They realise that this is the time of peace, harmony, integrity, liberty, happiness, prosperity, unity and creativity amongst the people. They strongly believe that their new world will arrive after Nigeria’s brutal civil war.
b. Why, in your view, have these people ‘lived with poverty’s rage’?
Answer➜ In my view, these people have 'lived with poverty's rage' because they involved themselves in the bloody civil war for continuously three crucial years. During that time millions of people especially children died of starvation. They were concerned more with fighting for various internal issues regarding religion, culture, political ideology ethnicity etc ignoring the sufferings of common Nigerians.
c. Why does the poet appeal for solidarity among the people?
Answer➜ The poet appeals for solidarity among the people because they are divided and fragmented due to civil war. It is possible and true that they can get success when they are united.
d. Does the poet present migration in a positive light? Why? Why not?
Answer➜ Yes, the poet presents migration in a positive light as it increases the working-age population. Migration helps shift in their condition from one level to another via awakening. The poet wishes for them to be unified, prosperous, honest, smart, and creative in a new age of awakening, free of the conception of suffering. Migrants bring skills with them and contribute to the development of human capital in recipient countries. They also encourage the advancement of innovative technology.
e.Nepal is also known for its economic as well as educational migrants. Have you noticed any change in the perceptions and behaviours of these migrants when they return home from abroad?
Answer➜ Yes, I have noticed many changes in the perceptions and behaviour of migrants when they return home from abroad. The first change in the perception is about how the education system is different here and abroad. We Nepalese people are a bit back in economical aspects compared to many northern and Europeans countries. Also, the teaching and learning perception in there is more practical but we are the periphery of theoretical learning. Although theoretical education is very important increasing for the knowledge and basic framework/concept for practical work in life, practical learning makes person more practical and social. Which is the difference in perceptions in Nepal and other countries (abroad). So, the such technique can be introduced by the person who have studied in abroad.
f. Relate the rhyme scheme of this sonnet to the kind of life idealized by the poet.
Answer➜ This poem "The Awakening Age" by Ben Okri is a poem of hope where we find the rhyme scheme of AA BB CC DD EE FF and GG. Every couplet of seven different stanzas is perfect in its rhyme as well as meaning. With the help of the rhyme scheme of the poem, the poet is able to present the idealized life of Nigerian people in a new world of the awakening age. All these rhyming words at the end of couplets have a direct connection with the Nigerian people's lives and their ideal way of living along with wisdom, realisation, hope, prosperity, truth, opportunities and joy. His wonderful rhyming scheme has perfectly presented his hopes as well as wishes regarding the ideal life of Nigerian people in a new world.
Reference beyond the text
Write an essay on ‘The Impacts of Migration on Nepali Society’.
Answer➜
The major impacts of migration
Migration is the movement of people from one place to another with the intention of setting temporarily or permanently in a new location. Migration may be of individuals, family units or in large groups. It can be within a country or between countries and can be permanent temporary or seasonal.
It is linked with global issues including economic growth, poverty and human rights.Migration can have many social and economic benefits but also presents challenges. Lack of services, drought, flooding, poverty, criminality etc. can be the main causes of migration. Migration boosts the working age population. Migrants arrive with skills and contribute to human capital development of receiving countries. Understanding these impacts is important if our societies are to usefully debate the roles of migration on both the sides.
Migration has become one of the burning issues for the time in our country. It can have both pros and cons. Migrants are more prepared to take on low paid, low skilled jobs as well as help to reduce any labor shortages. It helps in the development of richer and more diverse cultures. On the other hand, immigration leads to increasing cost of services such as health care and education. Disagreement between different religions and culture, overcrowding etc are the major impacts of migration on Nepali society.
Following are some of the bad impacts of migration on Nepali society:
1. The number of youths is decreasing rapidly.
2. Most Nepalese societies are facing a lack of youth manpower.
3. The relationship between people is becoming weaker.
5. In most societies of Nepal, elderly people are spending their lonely life in a very miserable state.
6. Due to the lack of people in societies, people are experiencing loneliness during the time of festivals.
7. There is no sense of love, affection, care, cooperation, security, peace and harmony among the people of societies.
8. Due to the lack of people, the development of societies even has decreased.
9. The prime concept of humanity itself is in a question mark.
10. People are seen away from relationships and selfishness among people is seen.
11. Birth rate has also decreased dramatically.
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