We Are Seven Poem by William Wordsworth Poem Summary And Question Answer with MCQ Test PDF

We Are Seven Poem by William Wordsworth Poem Summary And Question Answer with MCQ Test PDF 

About the poet William Wordsworth 

                William Wordsworth (1770-1850) was a renowned English poet. He was born at Cocker mouth, Cumberland in England. He was a great lover of Nature. He regards Nature as a great teacher and his poems seek to establish an intimate relationship with it. His poetry deals with simple, rustic life and Nature. It gives expression to his faith that there exists a correlation between Man, Nature and God. He is not only known as high priest of Nature but also rightly considered to be the leader of the Romantic Movement in literature. The Romantic era is known for its focus on Nature, common life, the remote and the imaginative things. Wordsworth dealt with the themes of Nature and human life "in such a way as to reveal in them, unsuspected elements of mystery and awe." Among his famous poems are The Prelude', Tin tern Abbey', 'Daffodils, 'Intimation of Immortality', The Solitary Reaper', The Excursion' and Lucy Poems'. After leading a successful literary career, he has passed away in 1850.

Lead-in to the Poem we are seven 

                  The poem "We are Seven" of William Wordsworth is not only very interesting but also very emotional. The poem was inspired by the poet's meeting a child near Goodrich Castle in Wales in 1793. The poem begins with an enchanting image of childhood which is marked by simplicity - a life free from tension, full of spirit and vigour and unclouded by the knowledge of death. The poet meets an eight-year-old charming rustic girl and enquires about her family. She replies that she lives with her mother and they are seven brothers and sisters out of whom two are in the grave. The poet gets puzzled and insists that they are only five brothers and sisters since two of them are already dead and buried. But the girl says that their graves are close to her little home. She emphasizes her association with the two dead brother and sister, telling the poet that she often knits her stockings and hems kerchiefs by their graves and sitting there sings a song to them and also takes her supper there. The poem ends with the child's moving and innocent statement that they are seven brothers and sisters.

Summary of the Poem We Are Seven

                 The poet William Wordsworth in his poem 'We are Seven' depicts a simple rustic life of a girl child who never changes her idea about her family and her brothers and sisters which she counts seven in number. The poem begins with an enchanting image of childhood which is marked by simplicity- a life free from tension, full of spirit and vigour and unclouded by the knowledge of death. The poet meets an eight-year-old rustic girl who lives in a cottage with her mother and brothers and sisters. Her hair is thick and curly. She dresses her very carelessly. But she is fair and beautiful.            

               The poet asks her about her family. She replies that she lives with her mother and they are seven brothers and sisters out of whom two are in the grave. Her one sister and one brother are dead and buried in the church-yard grave. The poet gets puzzled and insists that they are only five brothers and sisters since two of them are already dead and buried. The girl is not prepared to accept it. She emphasizes her association with the two dead brother and sister, telling the poet that she often knits her stockings and hems kerchief by their graves and sitting there sings a song to them and also takes her supper there. Her sister Jane who died first is in the church-yard grave. Her brother who followed her sister and died is in his grave beside the sister. When the poet questions her again about the number of her brothers and sisters, her reply is the same, 'We are seven.' The child does not feel the real separation of her two dead brothers and sisters. They are present in her mind. The poem ends with the child's innocent statement that they are seven brothers and sisters.

Question Answer of the poem We Are Seven

 Question.1. What notable features of a simple child does the poet describe in the first stanza ?

 Answer. In the first stanza the poet describes some notable features of a simple child. A simple child takes breath lightly and feels the motion of life in all the parts of the body. Such a child is very active in nature and has little idea about death.

 Question.2.What does the poet write about the habitation and the appearance of the girl?

 Answer. The poet narrates that the little girl lives in a cottage. She is eight years old and her hair is thick and curly. The rural girl pays little attention to her dress. But she is fair and beautiful.

 Question.3. How does the poet start the conversation with the girl and what does the girl say in reply ?

 Answer. The poet begins his conversation with the girl by asking her about the number of her brothers and sisters. The girl replies that they are seven in all. But she looks at the poet with surprise.

 Question.4. What answer does the girl give to the poet relating to her brothers, sisters and mother ?

 Answer. The girl replies that two of his brothers and sisters dwelt at Conway, while two others had gone to sea. Besides, the girl surprisingly says that two of them lie in the church-yard and she lives near them with her mother.

 Question.5. Why does the answer given by the girl puzzle the poet ?

 Answer. The poet can't understand the account presented by the girl about the number of her brothers and sisters. Because it is not clear as to how they are seven, although two had died and buried in the grave. That puzzles the poet very much.

 Question.6. What arguments does the girl put forth to prove that her two dead brothers and sisters have not been separated from her ?

 Answer. The girl's reply about her two dead brother and sister was truly surprising. She believes them to be alive as their graves are green and can be seen from there because the graves are very close to their house. It is the place where she keeps herself always active with food and song. She always feels their presence in her body and mind and never experienced their absence. So they are not separated from her.

 Question.7. How does her sister suffer before her death ?

 Answer. Her sister lies on the bed in the morning and cries helplessly. It means that her sister Jane suffers a lot in bed before her death. The little girl believes that God finally releases Jane of her suffering and she dies.

 Question.8. How does God release Jane from her suffering ?

 Answer. The little girl believes that it is God who releases her sister Jane after considerable suffering. Thus her sister passes away.

 Question.9. What did she and her brother use to do around her sister's grave when the grass was dry ?

 Answer. When the grass was dry both the little girl and her brother John played round the grave of their sister.

 Question.10. At what time of the year did John die ?

 Answer. It was during thick winter, when the ground was covered with snow, that the little girl's brother John died. Although she was able to play then, her brother was forcibly taken away.

 Question.11. How does the poem end ?

 Answer. The poem ends with the assertion of the little girl that they are still seven. She finally accounts that the spirits of the dead are in heaven. In spite of that she believes that their total number amounted to seven. She still has associations with her dead brother and sister.

 Question.12. What does the second line of the first stanza : "that lightly draws its breath" suggest ?

 Answer. The second line of the first stanza: "that lightly draws its breath" refers that a simple child always has normal breath. That means a simple child is always free from mental and physical tension.

 Question.13. Explain the meaning of the third line of the first stanza : "And feels its life in every limb". 

 Answer. The third line of the first stanza : "And feels its life in every limb" refers to a simple child whose body parts are active. A simple child always looks active and fresh.

 Question.14. What does the poet write about a child's knowledge of death ?

 Answer. The poet writes that a child feels no difference between death and life. A child's understanding of death is completely different from an adult's understanding.

 Question.15. Describe the surroundings in which the poet finds the girl. 

 Answer. The poet meets the rustic little girl during his woodland jaunt. The atmosphere is clad with nature's beauty.

 Question.16. Why does the girl look "wondering" at the poet after answering his question about her family ?

 Answer. The little girl looks wonderingly at the poet after answering his questions about her family. Because she does not understand, why the poet asks her about her family.

 Question.17. What does the line, "Their graves are green.", imply ?

 Answer. The line "Their graves are green" presented by the little girl implies that the girl is unable to accept that the people inside the grave were dead. Because green implies to her the presence of life.

 Question.18. How is the time after sunset described by the poet ?

 Answer. The poet describes the time after sunset in the eyes of the little girl. She finds the time to be light and fair, which means that the girl makes little difference between day and night.

 Question.19. What does the line "And when the ground was white with snow", suggest ?

 Answer. The line "And when the ground was white with snow" describes the presence of heavy winter, and the snow makes it easy for the little girl to run and slide.

 Question.20. What is the expression "Twas throwing words away." mean ?

 Answer. The expression "Twas throwing words away" means that the little girl positively believes that though her two dead brothers are in heaven, they are still with them. So she always believes that they are seven.

 Long Question Answer of the poem We Are Seven

 Question.1. “We are Seven." Describe who the seven are. What are their names? Where are they ? 

 Answer. The seven persons mentioned in the poem are the sisters and brothers of the little girl including her. In the poem we only come to know about the names of the two of them who have left the world. They are Jane, sister of the girl and John, brother of the girl. Two of the girl's brothers and sisters live in Conway and the other two have gone to sea. The other two brothers and sister of the girl lie in their graves in the church-yard. The girl herself lives with her mother.

 Question.2. Write a note on the feelings and ideas of the child and the adult described in the poem and give your own comments on them.

 Answer. The poem 'We are Seven' by William Wordsworth presents a vital difference in the thinking pattern of a child and an adult. While the child believes that her two dead brothers and sister are not separated from them, the adult is unable to accept it. The little child puts about her simple belief of enjoying her time on the graves of her dead brother and sister. She firmly believes that those two are living in heaven, but still they end up not separated. The adult is unable to accept the theory that the dead do not remain separate from the living. This duality is a vital point of presentation by the poet.

MCQ question test of the poem We Are Seven 

1. The expression ‘seven boys and girls are we’ means_______.

Ⓐ they are seven including the two of them who were dead

Ⓑ the dead brothers and sisters live separately

Ⓒ the two dead brothers and sister play with them

Ⓓ the two of the brothers and sisters are alive in the grave

2. The poet says that ________.

Ⓐ the girl doesn’t know any difference between life and death

Ⓑ she is frightened at the result of death

Ⓒ two of her dead brother and sister live in the God’s house

Ⓓ she is in her childhood

3. A burial ground adjoining to a church is called________.

Ⓐ a grave

Ⓑ a cabin

Ⓒ a cottage

Ⓓ a garden

4. The simple child lives with________.

Ⓐ her brother

Ⓑ her mother

Ⓒ her father

Ⓓ her sister

5. The girl replies that they are seven brothers and sisters out of whom two are_________.

Ⓐ in the flat

Ⓑ in their graves

Ⓒ in the churchyard

Ⓓ in the market

6. ‘Their graves are green’ i9mplies that_______.

Ⓐ their graven are surrounded by green fence

Ⓑ their graves are in the areas of rushes

Ⓒ their graves are covered with grass and leaves

Ⓓ their graves are close to the grassland

7.  The girl knits_______ near the graves.

Ⓐ her frocks

Ⓑ her kerchief

Ⓒ her handkerchief

Ⓓ her stockings

8. The girl sings songs for_______.

Ⓐ her brothers who live at Conway

Ⓑ her deceased brother and sister

Ⓒ her loving mother

Ⓓ her friends

9. When does the girl take her little porringer to the churchyard?

Ⓐ before the sunset

Ⓑ after the sunset

Ⓒ at midday

Ⓓ in the evening

10. And eat my supper there. Here ‘supper’ means_______.

Ⓐ alight meal taken in the morning

Ⓑ a light meal taken in the evening

Ⓒ a heavy meal taken in the day time

Ⓓ a heavy meal taken at night

11. According to the poet, the time after the sunset is ______.

Ⓐ dark and cold

Ⓑ light and fair

Ⓒ cloudy and rough

Ⓓ bright and unpleasant

12. The girl tells the poet that________.

Ⓐ she often hems her sweaters near the graves.

Ⓑ she often hems her kerchiefs by the graves

Ⓒ she often hems her shorts in the cottage

Ⓓ she often cooks porridge close to the graves

13. The line “And when the ground was white with snow “suggests that__________.

Ⓐ it was summer and days were pleasant

Ⓑ it was winter and the ground was covered with snow

Ⓒ it was springtime and there were lot of flowers in the church

Ⓓ it was autumn and the air was cool

14. Before Jane’s death she lay_________.

Ⓐ smiling in the bed

Ⓑ singing in the bed

Ⓒ weeping in the bed

Ⓓ moaning in the bed

15. Jane died when God released of ________.

Ⓐ her pain

Ⓑ her kerchief

Ⓒ her porringer

Ⓓ her stockings

16. The girl and her brother John played together_________.

Ⓐ when the grass was green

Ⓑ when the leaves were green

Ⓒ when the grass was dry

Ⓓ when the place was covered with snow

17. At what time of the year did John die?

Ⓐ John died in summer

Ⓑ John died in winter

Ⓒ John died in spring

Ⓓ John died in rainy season

18. Who was forced to go ?

Ⓐ her sister Jane

Ⓑ her brother John

Ⓒ her mother

Ⓓ none of the above

19. The poet told the girl that two of her brothers and sister were dead and their spirits were______.

Ⓐ in the grave

Ⓑ in the cottage

Ⓒ on the earth

Ⓓ in heaven

20. The girl eats the porridge at _________

Ⓐ supper

Ⓑ dinner

Ⓒ breakfast

Ⓓ lunch

21. What should it know of death?  The line conveys the idea that______.

Ⓐ the little girl knows about death

Ⓑ the childhood of the girl is unclouded by the knowledge of death

Ⓒ the child should know about death

Ⓓ none of the above

22. “That lightly draws its breath” This line expresses the idea that_________.

Ⓐ the child is calm and quiet

Ⓑ the child is very simple and innocent

Ⓒ the child is free From tension

Ⓓ the child breaths slowly

23. “And feels its life in every limb.” This line conveys that__________.

Ⓐ the child leads a life full of spirit and vigour

Ⓑ the child leads a busy life

Ⓒ the child leads a restless life

Ⓓ none of the above

24. The little girl’s dead sister and brother lived at a distance of ________.

Ⓐ twelve metres or more from her mother’s door

Ⓑ twelve steps or more from her mother’s door

Ⓒ twelve yards or more from her mother’s door

Ⓓ twelve feet or more from her mother’s door

25. The poem “We Are seven” ends with_______.

Ⓐ the child’s reply to the poet’s questions

Ⓑ the child’s aggressive attitude

Ⓒ the child’s moving and innocent statement that they are seven

Ⓓ the child’s conflict with the poet

26. The expression ‘a simple child’ means_______.

Ⓐ the girl is not honest

Ⓑ the girl is free from tension

Ⓒ the girl is full of worries

Ⓓ the girl is full of sorrows

27. In the poem ‘We Are Seven’ the word ‘wildly’ means_______.

Ⓐ carefully and in an orderly manner

Ⓑ carelessly in a disorderly manner

Ⓒ savagely in a deadly manner

Ⓓ sincerely in a polite manner

28. The poet starts his conversation with the rustic girl who was only_________.

Ⓐ five years old

Ⓑ six years old

Ⓒ seven years old

Ⓓ eight years old

29. The line ‘And she was wildly clad’ implies that_______.

Ⓐ the girl had rustic appearance

Ⓑ the girl was carelessly dressed

Ⓒ the girl was afraid of the poet

Ⓓ the girl led a simple life

30. The poem ‘We Are Seven’ is written by_______.

Ⓐ C.F. Alexander

Ⓑ William Wordsworth

Ⓒ Kuntala Kimari Sabat

Ⓓ G.Herbert

31. In the line “that clustered round her head”. Here ‘that’ refers to______.

Ⓐ the church yard

Ⓑ the small cottage

Ⓒ the girl’s curly hair

Ⓓ the girl’s brother

32. In reply to the poet’s question, the child replies that_________.

Ⓐ they are five brothers and sisters

Ⓑ they are six brothers and sisters

Ⓒ they are seven in all

Ⓓ they are eight in all

33. The girl looks wondering when she meets the poet because_________.

Ⓐ she is by herself in the cottage

Ⓑ she is afraid of the poet

Ⓒ she is worried

Ⓓ she finds the poet’s question confusing

34. The poet was glad to see______.

Ⓐ the charming little child

Ⓑ the scenery of the churchyard

Ⓒ the sight of cottage

Ⓓ the rustic surroundings

35. Which of the following poems is not written by William Wordsworth ‘?

Ⓐ Lucy poems

ⒷThe solitary reaper

Ⓒ Daffodils

Ⓓ Money Madness

36. The line ‘And two are gone to sea’ means_______.

Ⓐ two of her brothers and sisters are sailors

Ⓑ two of her brothers and sisters are sailing the boat

Ⓒ two of her brothers and sisters were drowned in the sea

Ⓓ two of her brothers and sisters know how to swim in the sea

37. A small, modest house in the country side is called________.

Ⓐ a flat

Ⓑ a cottage

Ⓒ an apartment

Ⓓ a hut

38. “Then did the little Maid reply.” The word ‘Maid’ means ________.

Ⓐ a young boy

Ⓑ a young girl

Ⓒ a young man

Ⓓ an old woman

39. The answer given by the girl puzzles the poet because________.

Ⓐ the girl said that her two dead brother and sister were in their midst

Ⓑ the two dead brothers and sister live in the cottage

Ⓒ she played with her dead brother and sister everyday

Ⓓ the answer given by the girl was very confusing

40. The expression ‘sweet maid’ means_______.

Ⓐ the maid eats sweets

Ⓑ the girl is very pleased with her mother

Ⓒ the girl is very beautiful

Ⓓ the girl loves the poet very much.

41. The girl said that the graves were only_______ from her mother’s door.

Ⓐ nine feet or more

Ⓑ ten feet or more

Ⓒ eleven steps or more

Ⓓ twelve steps or more

42. The girl continued saying that________.

Ⓐ they were five

Ⓑ they were seven

Ⓒ they were ten

Ⓓ they were eleven

43. In the line “And I could run and play” Here “I” refers to_______.

Ⓐ the little innocent girl

Ⓑ the girl’s brother john

Ⓒ her sister Jane

Ⓓ the poet

44. What is the meaning of the word ‘spirit’?

Ⓐ heart

Ⓑ soul

Ⓒ body

Ⓓ mind

45. In the expression ‘Their’ graven are green. Here the word ‘green’ represents_________.

Ⓐ colour of the graven

Ⓑ life of her dead brother and sister

Ⓒ colour of her cottage

Ⓓ kindness and sympathy for the dead

46. The cottage girl was unclouded by the knowledge of_________.

Ⓐ birth

Ⓑ health

Ⓒ disease

Ⓓ death

47. O’ Master! We are seven. Here ‘master’ refers to_______.

Ⓐ the girl’s father

 Ⓑ the girl’s brother

Ⓒ the girl’s teacher

Ⓓ the poet

48. The poet brings us an enchanting image of _________.

Ⓐ girlhood

Ⓑ manhood

Ⓒ childhood

Ⓓ adulthood

49. What does the girl knit near the graven?

Ⓐ trousers

Ⓑ tights

Ⓒ stockings

Ⓓ kerchief

50. How many brothers and sister of the cottage girl live in the Conway?

Ⓐ two

Ⓑ three

Ⓒ five

Ⓓ seven

51. “Two of us in the churchyard lie.” Here ‘two’ refers to ________?

Ⓐ the cottage girl and her mother

Ⓑ John and the cottage girl

Ⓒ Jane and the cottage girl

Ⓓ John and Jane in the line

52. In “We are seven” you run about, my little Maid”, who is my little maid?

Ⓐ the cottage girl

Ⓑ the cottage girl’s only sister

Ⓒ Jane

Ⓓ the cottage girl’s only cousin

53. Who replied, “Their graves are green, they may be seen.”

Ⓐ the little maid

Ⓑ the cottage girl’s mother

Ⓒ William Wordsworth

Ⓓ John

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