NCERT MCQ Solutions for Class 5 English Marigold Chapter 9 Sing a Song of People, Around the World

The poem specifically mentions “People on the side walk” and describes people walking throughout the city in various locations.
The poem emphasizes the movement of people on sidewalks as one of the primary places where city dwellers walk, along with other urban spaces like streets and public areas.

The poem explicitly states “People on the subway / Underneath the ground”.
The word “subway” is used to describe the underground transportation system where people travel beneath the city streets.
This is a common term used in American English for underground rail transit systems.

The poem clearly mentions “People with umbrellas / When it rains and pours”.
This line specifically identifies umbrellas as the item people carry to protect themselves from rain.
The poem uses this imagery to show how people adapt to weather conditions in the city.

The poem states “People in tall buildings / And in stores below; / Riding elevators / Up and down they go”.
The word “elevators” is specifically used in the poem to describe the mechanical devices that transport people vertically in tall buildings, which is the American English term for what is called “lifts” in British English.

According to the vocabulary section provided in the document, “grumpy” means “ill-tempered”.
The poem uses this word to describe one type of person among the diverse crowd of city dwellers, contrasting grumpy people with those who are “laughing, smiling” to show the variety of moods and temperaments found in urban populations.

The poem specifically mentions “People riding taxis / Round and round and round”.
This line describes how taxis move through the city streets, often taking circular or repetitive routes as they transport passengers to various destinations throughout the urban landscape.

The poem states “People passing, passing, / In back and front of us”.
This describes the constant movement of people in the city, where pedestrians are continuously walking past each other in all directions.
The phrase captures the busy, crowded nature of city life where people are always moving around you.

The poem mentions “People with their hats on, / Going in the doors”.
This line describes people entering buildings through doorways, which is a common daily activity in urban environments.
The mention of hats suggests this might be during cooler weather or a time when wearing hats was more common.

The poem states “People walking singly/People in a crowd”. This line demonstrates the diversity of how people move through the city – some walk alone (singly) while others move in groups or crowds.
This contrast highlights the varied social dynamics of urban life.

The poem states “People saying nothing, / People talking loud”.
This creates a contrast between silent people and those who speak loudly, showing the range of communication styles and noise levels that exist in busy city environments.
It reflects the diversity of personalities and social behaviors in urban settings.

The poem describes “People who just hurry / And never look at you!”
This characterizes busy city dwellers who are so focused on their destinations and tasks that they don’t make eye contact or acknowledge others around them.
It reflects the impersonal nature of urban life where people often remain strangers despite being in close proximity.

The vocabulary section defines “underneath” as “below”.
In the poem, this word is used to describe the subway system that runs “underneath the ground”, meaning below the surface level of the city streets.
This word helps readers understand the three-dimensional nature of city transportation systems.

The final lines of the poem state “Sing of city people / You see but never know!”
This captures the paradox of urban life where you encounter thousands of people daily but remain strangers to most of them.
It reflects the anonymous nature of city living where physical proximity doesn’t necessarily lead to personal connections.

The poem’s main theme is the diversity and constant movement of people in urban environments.
It describes various types of people, their different moods, transportation methods and behaviors, creating a comprehensive picture of city life.
The poem celebrates the variety and energy of urban populations while also noting the impersonal nature of city living.

“Sing a Song of People” uses alliteration with the repeated ‘s’ sound in “Sing”, “Song” and the ‘p’ sound in “People”.
This literary device creates a musical quality that fits with the concept of singing about people.
Alliteration makes the title memorable and gives it a rhythmic quality that enhances the poem’s celebratory tone about city life.

The village child states “I do wish someone / Lived near. / There’s no one to play with / At all”.
This shows the child’s desire for companionship and social interaction.
Unlike city children who are surrounded by people, the village child experiences loneliness due to the isolated nature of rural living where neighbors may be far apart.

The city child expresses “I wish there were meadows / And lambs” and “I wish there were woods / Very near”.
This shows the child’s longing for natural, rural environments with animals and green spaces.
The city child is overwhelmed by urban noise and pollution and yearns for the peace and beauty of countryside settings.

The city child mentions “I don’t like the noises / I hear” and “There is smoke everywhere / That I go”.
These lines specifically identify noise pollution and air pollution (smoke) as the main problems the child faces in urban environments.
These environmental issues contrast sharply with the clean, quiet rural setting the village child enjoys.

The village child says “And I should be lonely / For hours, / Were it not for the birds / And the flowers”.
This indicates that nature – specifically birds and flowers – provides companionship and comfort to the child who otherwise lacks human neighbors.
The natural environment serves as a source of joy and company in the rural setting.

The two poems present a clear contrast between rural and urban living experiences.
The village child lives in a natural, isolated environment but desires human companionship and city amenities. The city child lives in a crowded, noisy urban environment but yearns for natural spaces and tranquility.
This contrast highlights how people often desire what they don’t have and shows the trade-offs between different living environments.