ST.

XAVIER’S HIGH SCHOOL, PANCHKULA

CLASS 10 HAUNTED HOUSES (Workbook Answers)
Passage 1
(i) What does the poet mean by the first sentence of the extract?
The poet means that every house where people have lived is haunted. Here, "houses" is our physical
existence, and being "haunted" means we're left with permanent impressions from the people we've
known.
(ii) In what way are all houses 'haunted'?
They are haunted because the ghosts of those who lived there visit these houses. The 'haunted' houses
evoke the idea that memories, emotions, and experiences of the past inhabitants still linger like harmless
phantoms.
(iii) Why is the phrase 'harmless phantoms' unusual?
The phrase 'harmless phantoms' is exceptional because the general perception is that ghosts are evil and
menacing and they harm the living.
(iv) What kind of the spirit-world is conceived by the poet later in the context?
The poet later says that the world of the living is surrounded by the spirit-world. This world of the ghosts
is similar to the atmosphere which is prevalent everywhere.
(v) Where can we, according to the poet, meet ghosts?
According to the poet, we encounter these 'ghosts' in places such as at the doorway, on the stairs and
along the passages.
Passage 2
(i) What kind of ghosts are imagined by the poet earlier in the context?
Earlier in the context, the poet imagined the ghosts as harmless, invisible impressions left by people
we've known.
(ii) Where do we 'meet' them? Are they visible?
They can be seen at the doors, stairs, passages. They cannot be seen or heard but felt in the heart and
mind.
(iii) Explain the last two lines.
The ghosts cannot be seen physically but their impressions are present in the air. One can sense their
movement.
(iv) The poet says "We meet them at the doorway, on the stair" What does he mean by this?
The poet means that every house where people have lived is haunted. We encounter these 'ghosts' in
places such as at the doorway, on the stairs and along the passages.
(v) Where do they 'throng', as mentioned later in the context?
As mentioned later, these influences 'throng' the dinner table and the hall of the host’s house.
Passage 3
(i) Who are uninvited guests at table?
The uninvited guests at the table represent the harmless, inoffensive phantoms.
(ii) Why are they there uninvited?
They are there uninvited because they are no longer a part of the living world and the descendents are
unaware of their existence.
(iii) What is surprising about these uninvited ghosts?
It is surprising that contradicting the general belief of the ghosts being horrifying and menacing, these
uninvited ghosts are harmless and inoffensive.
(iv) What is meant by "As silent as the pictures on the wall"?
The poet uses a simile, comparing the silent influence of these 'ghosts' to the silence of pictures on the
wall.
(v) What can the speaker see and hear which others cannot?
The speaker can see and hear the ghosts.
Passage 4
(i) What contrast is made in the first two lines here?
The poet says that there is a stranger sitting next to him by the fireplace who can neither see nor hear
these ghostly forms but the speaker can see and hear them.
(ii) What do you think of the extraordinary powers of the speaker?
The stranger can only see the living - the present while the speaker can see everything from the past till
date. Here, we get an indication that perhaps, the speaker is a ghost because he can see other ghosts
while the stranger sitting next to him is a human.
(iii) What has been told by the speaker about the unseen 'forms' earlier in the context?
The speaker says that these unseen 'forms' are the harmless, invisible spirits of people who have left an
indelible mark on our lives.
(iv) 'All that has been is visible and clear.’ Explain.
'All that has been is visible and clear' conveys the idea that the speaker possesses the ability to clearly
perceive what has been from the past up to the present.
(v) Who is 'He' in Line 3? Is he a normal human being?
'He' in Line 3 refers to a stranger who is a normal human being and is the present occupant of the house.
Passage 5
(i) What idea of ghosts is given earlier in the context?
The speaker says that the ghosts are harmless and inoffensive and they visit the houses where they once
lived.
(ii) Where can we 'meet' the departed spirits?
We 'meet' the departed spirits in places such as at the doorway, on the stairs and along the passages.
(iii) Who do not have title-deeds to their 'house or lands'?
The ghosts of the people who owned the house or lands when they were alive do not have title-deeds to
their 'house or lands' now.
(iv) What do the departed spirits claim from their graves?
From their graves, the departed spirits claim the permanent ownership of the houses which they once
owned and where they were born, they lived and they died.
(v) Explain the phrase 'hold in mortmain'.
The phrase 'hold in mortmain' means that these ghosts still want to take over or possess these houses
(properties) which they once owned.
Passage 6
(i) Why does the poet describe all houses as haunted earlier in the context?
The poet describes all houses as 'haunted' to express the idea that all houses are visited by the ghosts of
those who once lived there and died there.
(ii) How have the ghosts been described by the poet?
The 'ghosts' have been described by the poet as the harmless, invisible spirits of people who have left an
indelible mark on our lives.
(iii) What can the speaker see or hear?
The speaker can see and hear the quiet, often unnoticed ghosts who influence the living in subtle yet
profound ways.
(iv) What kind of the world of spirits is? How does the poet describe the spirit-world?
The world of spirits is described as a delicate, ethereal realm that surrounds the human world like
atmosphere. It mingles into the world of the living through the mist and vapours of the air.
(v) What crosses through earthly mists and vapours?
The ghosts that are a vital part of the world of spirit, cross through the earthly mists and vapours,
symbolizing the spiritual influences and memories of past relationships.
Passage 7
(i) Whose lives are being referred to in Line 1?
The lives being referred to are those of the normal human beings.
(ii) What brings about balance in our short lives?
The desire to enjoy life and the instinct of achieving our ambitions are two opposite wishes which create
a balance in our short lives.
(iii) Explain the last two lines of the extract
The last two lines depict the constant struggle between our desire to relax and enjoy life and our
ambition to work hard and achieve.
(iv) State what fills our life with anxieties and fears, as mentioned later in the context.
The inability to maintain balance between the earthly desires and higher aspirations fills our life with
anxieties and fears.
(v) What 'bridge of light' connects our world to the heavenly world?
The 'bridge of light' that connects our world to the heavenly realm refer to the bridge made of moonlight
floating across the ocean waves.
Passage 8
(i) What brings about balance in our lives, as mentioned earlier in the context?
 The desire to enjoy life and the instinct of achieving our ambitions are two opposite wishes which create
a balance in our short lives.
(ii) Explain the metaphor used by the poet in the first two lines.
The metaphor used is the perpetual jar which refers to the immortal soul. Our soul is ridden by the
constant dilemma to decide whether to enjoy life and relax or to work hard and achieve.
(iii) What do you mean by earthly wants and aspirations high'?
'Earthly wants’ refers to the base instincts that seeks worldly and materialistic pleasures like achieving
name, fame, money and power.
‘Aspirations high' refers to the higher and noble goals like renouncing worldly pleasures and seeking
spiritual goals.
(iv) What are 'perturbations'?
‘Perturbations’ refers to the mental disturbances, anxieties and fears of human
beings caused by their earthly needs and high aspirations.
(v) What is determined by an unseen, undiscovered planet in our sky?
The poet says that there is an 'unseen, undiscovered planet' that determines our internal conflicts, desires,
and aspirations, influencing our lives in profound ways. It gives us ideas and imagination which trigger
our actions - either towards enjoyment or towards achievement.
Passage 9
(i) When and how is a 'bridge of light' formed?
A 'bridge of light' is formed when the moon emerges from behind dark clouds, casting a luminous path
across the sea.
(ii) What is the function of this bridge?
The function of this bridge is to provide a metaphorical pathway for our thoughts and emotions to
traverse from the realm of everyday reality into the domain of mystery.
(iii) Which figure of speech is used in the first two lines here?
The figure of speech used in the first two lines is a metaphor, likening the moonlight's reflection on the
sea to a 'floating bridge of light' which creates a connection between the human world and the world of
spirits. The poet also uses personification by saying that the moon ‘throws’ its light on the sea.
(iv) Where does our fancy take us?
Our fancy takes us into the 'realm of mystery and night' through our dreams and imaginations.
(v) Which realm is the poet talking about in this extract?
The poet is talking about the realm of mystery and night. Our dreams and imaginations make us travel
into mysterious regions.
Passage 10
(i) What has the poet told us about the world of spirits?
The poet has told us that the world of spirits is harmless and present everywhere. It is closely connected
to our tangible world, affecting us in unseen ways through a metaphorical 'bridge of light'.
(ii) Where can we 'meet' the departed spirits?
The departed spirits visit the houses where they once lived. We can meet them at the doorway, on the
stairs and along the passages.
(iii) What is the significance of 'So' in Line 1?
'So' in Line 1 links the metaphorical depiction of the moon's bridge of light to the idea that similarly, the
world of spirits connects to ours, influencing our thoughts and guiding our actions.
(iv) Which bridge descends from the world of spirits? What has it been compared to?
‘The bridge of lights’ descends from the world of spirits. It has been compared to the moonlight's
reflection on the sea, symbolizing the pathway through which the world of spirits connects to ours,
influencing our thoughts and guiding our actions.
(v) What do we often think of?
We often think of the mysteries of the unknown, and the profound impacts of our past relationships, as
we traverse the metaphorical 'bridge of light'.

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