My Own True Family by Ted Hughes | Class 10 | Leeson 4

Quiz on the Poet and the Oakwood

Part A: Choose the correct alternative to complete the following sentences:

• 1. Creeping in an oakwood, the poet was looking for a -
  • a) goat
  • b) rhinoceros
  • c) stag
  • d) buffalo

  Answer: Stag

• 2. Whenever an oakwood is felled, the number of trees the poet must plant is -
  • a) two
  • b) three
  • c) four
  • d) five

  Answer: Two

• 3. When the poet came out of the oakwood, his heart was that of a -
  • a) stag
  • b) tree
  • c) human child
  • d) old woman

  Answer: Tree

Multiple Choice Questions

4. The poet came across -

a) a stag

b) a child

c) an old woman

d) an old man

Ans. an old woman

5. The poet began to quake when the old woman -

a) laughed

b) cackled

c) shouted

d) smiled

Ans. cackled

6. The poet was tied to a -

a) stake/post

b) pillar

c) peg

d) tree

Ans. stake/post

7. A stag is a -

a) male deer

b) female deer

c) male horse

d) female horse

Ans. male deer

8. The bag contained the poet's -

a) money

b) secret

c) clothes

d) pen

Ans. secret

9. As the woman began to cackle, the poet began to -

a) shout

b) sing

c) quake

d) sweat

Ans. quake

10. A 'staring tribe' refers to -

a) local inhabitants

b) the primitive people

c) homeless people

d) the oak trees

Ans. the oak trees

11. The poet's own true family were the -

a) oak trees

b) sal trees

c) cherry trees

d) birch trees

Ans. oak trees

12. The oak trees wanted the poet to make a -

a) promise

b) prayer

c) wish

d) contract

Ans. promise

13. The oak trees threatened the poet that unless he made a promise -

a) he would be tied to a stake

b) he was going to die

c) he would be disowned by the trees

d) he would be beaten with a stick

Ans. he was going to die

14. The poet dreamt -

a) in a hut

b) in the oakwood

c) beneath the boughs

d) in the garden

Ans. beneath the boughs

15. The dream that the poet had -

a) pleased him

b) made him repent

c) altered him

d) tormented him

Ans. altered him

Part B: Complete the following sentences with information from the text:

1. Whenever an oak tree is felled, "the poet will plant two."
2. The poet dreamt a dream lying "beneath the bough."
3. While looking for a stag, the poet "crept in an oakwood."
4. The woman that the poet met was "old, knobbly and dressed in rag."
5. Meeting the poet, the old lady said that "she had his secret inside her little bag."
6. When the old lady opened up her little bag, "the poet came twice awake."
7. The dream that he dreamed "altered his mind."

True or False Statements

1. The old woman held the poet's secrets in her little bag. [T]

Supporting statement: She said: "I have your secret here inside my little bag."

2. The tree tribe said that the poet is bothered to see the chopping down of oak trees. [F]

Supporting statement: "We are chopped down, we are torn up, you do not blink an eye."

3. The poet never came out of the oakwood. [F]

Supporting statement: "When I came out of the oakwood, back to human company."

4. The poet began to cackle. [F]

Supporting statement: "Then she began to cackle and I began to quake."

5. The dream failed to alter the poet. [F]

Supporting statement: "This was my dream beneath the bough, the dream that altered me."

6. The oak tree told the poet that they were his own family. [T]

Supporting statement: "We are the oak trees and your own true family."

7. After coming out of the oakwood, the human heart of the poet remained unchanged. [F]

Supporting statement: "....but my heart was a tree."

D. Fill in the chart with information from the text:

Cause and Effect

Cause	Effect
The poet was looking for a stag.	He entered an oakwood.
The old lady began to cackle.	The poet began to quake.
If the poet doesn't make a promise.	He may die.
The old woman opened up her little bag.	The poet came twice awaken.
The poet had a dream beneath the bough.	The dream altered the poet.

Part E: Answer the Following Questions

1. When did the poet come twice awake?

Ans. The poet came twice awake when the old woman opened up her little bag.

2. What would happen to the poet if he failed to make the promise?

Ans. If the poet failed to keep the promise, he would die as the black oak bark would wrinkle over him and root him amongst the oaks.

3. What was it that altered the poet?

Ans. The dream that the poet dreamt beneath the boughs of the oak trees altered the poet.

4. Why did the poet creep in an oak wood?

Ans. The poet crept in an oak wood in search of a stag.

5. How did the old woman look?

Ans. The old woman was dressed in rags and had with her a knobbly stick and a little bag.

6. Who was staring at the poet?

Ans. The tribe of the oak trees was staring at the poet.

7. What did the old woman say?

Ans. The old woman said to the poet that she hid his secret inside her little bag.

8. What was the promise the poet had to make?

Ans. The poet had to make the promise that whenever an oak tree is felled, he must plant two oak trees.

9. When did the poet quake?

Ans. The poet quaked when the old woman began to cackle.

10. What change did the poet observe after coming back from oak wood?

Ans. The poet observed that his heart had changed into that of a tree.

11. Who introduced themselves as the poet's own true family?

Ans. The oak trees introduced themselves as the poet's own true family.

12. How did the oakwoods describe their sad condition to the poet?

Ans. The oak-trees lamented that they were chopped down and torn up but the poet showed no interest to save them.

13. Why did the poet begin to quake?

Ans. The poet began to quake because the old woman began to cackle.

14. Who are mentioned as the 'staring tribe'?

Ans. The tribe of the oak trees was staring at the poet.

15. What is the name of the poem? What is the name of the poet?

Ans. The name of the poem is "My Own True Family." The name of the poet is Ted Hughes.