Dust of Snow

The way a crow

Shook down on me

The dust of snow

From a hemlock tree

Has given my heart

A change of mood

And saved some part

Of a day I had rued.  

Prose passage-01

As I walked through the forest, a crow perched atop a hemlock tree caught my attention. The bird suddenly shook its feathers, sending a shower of snow dust cascading down upon me.

I couldn’t help but be struck by the beauty of the moment, as if the snow dust was a gift from the crow. The simple act of the bird shaking off its feathers had given me a change of mood, lifting me from a gloomy state of mind. I realized that sometimes, it’s the small things in life that can have the greatest impact.

It was as if the dust of snow had saved some part of the day that I had previously rued. It was a reminder to not take life for granted, and to find joy in the little things. It was a reminder that sometimes all it takes is a small shift in perspective to change our entire outlook on life.

Question 1: What caused the dust of snow to fall on the speaker?

A: The crow shook its feathers

B: The wind blew

C: The snow melted

D: The speaker shook a tree

Ans: A

Question 2: What did the dust of snow do to the speaker’s heart?

A: It gave the speaker a change of mood

B: It saddened the speaker

C: It made the speaker angry

D: It made the speaker forgetful

Ans: A

Question 3: Why did the speaker have a change of mood?

A: The dust of snow fell on him

B: The speaker saw a beautiful view

C: The speaker met a friend

D: The speaker won a prize

Ans: A

Question 4: What did the dust of snow remind the speaker of?

A: To not take life for granted

B: To always wear a coat

C: To stay away from crows

D: To always be in a good mood

D: To always be in a good mood

Ans: A

Question 5: What did the dust of snow save?

A: Some part of a day that was rued

B: A friendship

C: A lost object

D: A life.

Ans: A

Prose passage 2

The sun was setting, casting a warm orange glow over the landscape. The fields were alive with the sound of crickets and the distant lowing of cattle. I couldn’t help but feel a sense of peace and contentment wash over me.

As I walked, I came across a small pond, its surface still and reflective. I sat down on the grassy bank, and watched as a family of ducks swam gracefully across the water. The sight was so serene and beautiful that it felt like a moment frozen in time.

It was in that moment that I realized the importance of taking a step back and appreciating the simple things in life. The beauty of nature, the sound of birds singing, the warmth of the sun on my skin – all these things that we often take for granted are what truly make life worth living.

Question 1: What was the weather like when the speaker was walking?

A: It was sunny

B: It was raining

C: It was snowy

D: It was foggy

Ans: A

Question 2: What did the speaker see at the pond?

A: A family of ducks

B: A group of fish

C: A family of swans

D: A group of frogs

Ans: A

Question 3: What feeling washed over the speaker?

A: Peace and contentment

B: Fear and anxiety

C: Anger and frustration

D: Excitement and joy

Ans: A

Question 4: What did the speaker realized about the importance of nature?

A: That it is what truly makes life worth living

B: That it is something that should be exploited

C: That it is something to be feared

D: That it is something to be ignored

Ans: A

Question 5: What did the speaker realized about the importance of simple things in life?

A: That they are often taken for granted

B: That they are not important

C: That they are to be avoided

D: That they are to be sought out

Ans: A

Poem Questions Answers

Q1 What is a “dust of snow”? What does the poet say has changed his mood?

How has the poet’s mood changed?

“Dust of Snow” refers to the small amount of snow that falls from the hemlock tree when the crow shakes its feathers. The poet says that this dust of snow has given his heart a change of mood. The poet’s mood has changed from a gloomy state to a more positive one. The simple act of the crow shaking off its feathers, and the beauty of the falling snow dust, has lifted the poet’s spirits and changed his outlook on the day. It serves as a reminder to find joy in small things and to not take life for granted.

Q2 How does Frost present nature in this poem? The following questions may help you to think of an answer.

(i) What are the birds that are usually named in poems? Do you think a

crow is often mentioned in poems? What images come to your mind

when you think of a crow?

(ii) Again, what is “a hemlock tree”? Why doesn’t the poet write about a

more ‘beautiful’ tree such as a maple, or an oak, or a pine?

(iii) What do the ‘crow’ and ‘hemlock’ represent — joy or sorrow? What does

the dust of snow that the crow shakes off a hemlock tree stand for?

Ans. In this poem, Frost presents nature as a source of unexpected beauty and inspiration. The crow, which is not a bird typically associated with poetry, serves as a symbol of this unexpected beauty. Crows are often thought of as dark, ominous birds, however in this poem the crow is depicted shaking the dust of snow from a hemlock tree, which helps to change the poet’s mood.

The hemlock tree is also an interesting choice for the poem. Hemlock trees are not typically considered beautiful or majestic like other trees such as maple, oak, or pine. Instead, the hemlock tree is often associated with poison and death. However, in this poem, the hemlock tree serves as a symbol of the small, unexpected things in life that can bring joy and change our perspective. The dust of snow that the crow shakes off the hemlock tree can be seen as a metaphor for the small, seemingly insignificant things in life that can have a big impact on our mood and outlook. The crow and hemlock tree represent the idea that beauty and inspiration can be found in unexpected places and that sometimes it’s the small things in life that can bring us the most joy.

Multiple Choice Questions

Q1.What causes the dust of snow to fall on the speaker in the poem?

A) The wind blowing

B) The snow melting

C) The speaker shaking a tree

D) The crow shaking its feathers

Ans: D

Q2. What is the speaker’s initial mood before the dust of snow falls on them?

A) Happy

B) Excited

C) Gloomy

D) Angry

Ans: C

Q3. What does the dust of snow do to the speaker’s heart?

A) It gives the speaker a change of mood

B) It makes the speaker forgetful

C) It makes the speaker angry

D) It makes the speaker sad

Ans: A

Q4. How does the speaker feel about the dust of snow falling on them?

A) Annoyed

B) Disappointed

C) Amused

D) Delighted

Ans: D

Q5. What does the dust of snow represent in the poem?

A) A reminder to not take life for granted

B) A reminder to always wear a coat

C) A reminder to stay away from crows

D) A reminder to always be in a good mood

Ans: A

Q6. What kind of tree is the crow perched on in the poem?

A) Oak tree

B) Maple tree

C) Pine tree

D) Hemlock tree

Ans: D

Q7. How does the speaker describe the crow in the poem?

A) As dark and ominous

B) As graceful and peaceful

C) As a nuisance

D) As insignificant

Ans: B

Q8. What does the speaker learn from the dust of snow falling on them?

A) That nature is beautiful

B) That nature is insignificant

C) That nature is dangerous

D) That small things in life can have a big impact

Ans: D

Q9. What does the speaker feel about the hemlock tree?

A) They find it beautiful

B) They find it insignificant

C) They find it dangerous

D) They find it poisonous

Ans: B

Q10. How does the dust of snow falling on the speaker change their day?

A) It ruins their day

B) It saves their day

C) It makes their day

D) It ends their day

Ans: B

Q11. How does the dust of snow falling on the speaker change their outlook on life?

A) It makes them pessimistic

B) It makes them optimistic

C) It makes them neutral

D) It makes them cynical

Ans: B

Q12. What does the dust of snow falling on the speaker remind them of?

A) To always be in a good mood

B) To not take life for granted

C) To stay away from crows

D) To always wear a coat

Ans: B

Q13. How does the speaker feel about the dust of snow?

A) They feel indifferent about it

B) They feel disgusted by it

C) They feel delighted by it

D) They feel annoyed by it

Ans: C

Q14. How does the dust of snow falling on the speaker change their perspective?

A) It makes them appreciate nature more

B) It makes them ignore nature

C) It makes them fear nature

D) It makes them hate nature

Ans: A

Q15. How does the dust of snow falling on the speaker change their mood?

A) It makes them gloomy

B) It makes them happy

C) It makes them neutral

D) It makes them angry

Ans: B

Q16. What does the dust of snow falling on the speaker symbolize?

A) A sign of luck

B) A symbol of change

C) A symbol of death

D) A symbol of rebirth

Ans: B

Q17. How does the speaker feel about the crow in the poem?

A) They find it scary

B) They find it insignificant

C) They find it fascinating

D) They find it annoying

Ans: C

Q18. What does the speaker learn about the small things in life from the dust of snow falling on them?

A) That they are insignificant

B) That they are not important

C) That they can bring a lot of joy

D) That they are to be avoided

Ans: C

Q19. How does the dust of snow falling on the speaker change their relationship with nature?

A) It makes them appreciate nature more

B) It makes them ignore nature

C) It makes them fear nature

D) It makes them hate nature

Ans: A

Q20. What is the overall tone of the poem?

A) Melancholic

B) Uplifting

C) Neutral

D) Sarcastic

Ans: B

Difficult word meaning

1. Rued – regretted or mourned
2. Cascading – falling or flowing in a stream
3. Hemlock – a poisonous plant or tree
4. Mood – a temporary state of mind or feeling
5. Perspective – a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something
6. Symposium – a formal meeting at which experts give talks on a particular subject
7. Tranquil – calm and peaceful
8. Unexpected – not expected or planned
9. Inspiration – the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something
10. Appreciate – to be grateful for and value something
11. Delighted – very pleased
12. Seemingly – giving the impression of being
13. Cascading – falling or flowing in a stream
14. Perspective – a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something
15. Metaphor – a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable
16. Outlook – a person’s perspective on a particular situation
17. Inspiration – the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something
18. Serenity – a state of peaceful calmness
19. Intricate – having many complex parts or details
20. Delicate – very small and fragile.