Available Answers

1. 1.

   Tick the words which you associate with youth. Circle the ones you association with old age. 

   adolescent	fragile	pensioner	playful
   energetic	experienced	mature	juvenile
   happy	octogenarian	curious	rebellious

    

2. 2.

   Complete the table by using the phrases given in the box to describe youth and old age, as the poet describes them.

   filled with delight	like winter	lacks strength	like summer
   filled with worries	takes risks	becomes careful	highly active

    

   Youth	Old age

    

3. 3.

   Find lines from the poem that would best fit the descriptions given below.

   1. The poet compares old age to the time when the entire earth looks bleak and barren.
   2. The poet clearly expresses his love for youth.
   3. The poet says that old people are physically unfit.
   4. The poet says that young people are carefree.
4. 4.

   'Youth is full of sport, Age's breath is short'. Explain this line with the help of an example. 

5. 5.

   In the line 'Age I do defy thee', the poet is

   1. asking young people to break free from the bonds of old people.
   2. challenging old age to deny what he has said about it.
   3. expressing his wish to remain young forever.
6. 6.

   In the second-list line of the poem, the 'shepherd' probably refers to

   1. god
   2. death
   3. a man grazing his sheep