Grabbing Everything on the Land(Poem)

AP State Syllabus 9th Class English Solutions Chapter 5B Grabbing Everything on the Land

Answer the following questions

1.What is the central theme of the poem?

ans:The theme of the poem is the vast destructive power of tsunami and the widespread death and damage it causes

2.What does the hand refer to? Where was the hand born?

ans:The hand refers to the tide of tsunami. It is born under the surface of the sea

3.Identify the most striking line in the poem?

ans:The most striking line the poem is the concluding line

4.Describe the damage caused to mankind due to Tsunami. Locate the words or expressions which tell the fury of Tsunami?

ans:Tsunami killed men and animals. It uprooted trees and destroyed houses. In fact, it smashed everything that was in its way. The expressions that show the fury of tsunami are : dreadful might; anger unleashed ; white horses galloping ; dissolved under the heat; crashing; crunching; tearing

5.Why do you think only a few could understand the meaning of Tsunami?

ans:Majority of the people of tusunami affected areas were killed. Only a few survived. The destruction caused by tsunami is known only to those living after it

Grabbing Everything on the Land Summary in English

Lily Usher presents in detail the terrible destructive power of ocean tides in her poem "Grabbing Everything on the Land".

The wave came like a giant hand felling trees and crushing homes. It destroyed everything in sight and no one could escape from it.

The hand was born in the ocean and got its strength from the rocks underneath. Everyone was surprised to see the waves coming towards them like fast running white horses, smashing everything on their way. Crashing, crushing, crunching, and cutting was everywhere. Death danced all around. The few who managed to escape understood what tsunami1 meant

Grabbing Everything on the Land Glossary

grabbing (v+ing) : seizing ; taking something suddenly and with force foam (n) : mass of bubbles on water surface uprooting (v+ing) : felling; pulling roots from the ground smashing (v+ing) : crushing ; destroying fist (n) : closed fingers ; symbol of attack survive (v) : able to live despite difficulties dreadful (adj) : terrbile ; evoking fear might (n) : power; energy tide (n) : rising surface of water belly (n) : stomach plates (n - plural) : (here) rocks in the earth crust fury (n) : anger unleashed (v - pt) : let loose shriek (n) : a cry of fear galloping (v + ing) : running very fast dissolved (v - past tense) : melted ; (here) died crunching (n + ing) : crushing noisily seeping (v + ing) : flowing slowly brutally (adv) : cruelly; mercilessly hound (n) : a hunting dog punch (n) : a hit; shot tsunami (n) : an extremely large wave in the sea ; a tidal wave (from Janapese)