SEBA Class 10 English The Ball Poem Important Extra Questions & Previous Year Solved Questions

Q: Why is The Ball Poem important for HSLC exam?

Questions on theme and poetic devices are frequently asked in the HSLC exam.

Q: Are extract-based questions available?

Yes, extract-based questions are included.

Q: Are poetic devices covered?

Yes, important poetic devices are covered.

Q: Can practising these questions improve marks?

Yes, regular practice improves exam performance.

Q: Is this content suitable for ASSEB students?

Yes, SEBA and ASSEB are the same board.

SEBA Class 10 English The Ball Poem Important Extra Questions are carefully prepared to help students understand the poem in a clear and exam-oriented manner. This page provides SEBA Class 10 English The Ball Poem Important Extra Questions along with previous year solved questions (PYQs) frequently asked in the HSLC examination.

The SEBA Class 10 English The Ball Poem Important Extra Questions strictly follow the latest SEBA (ASSEB) syllabus for the academic session 2026–27. Important short answer, long answer, extract-based, and theme-based questions are included to match the HSLC exam pattern.

Students searching for HSLC English The Ball Poem Important Questions or SEBA Class 10 English The Ball Poem PYQs will find this resource highly useful. These SEBA Class 10 English The Ball Poem Important Extra Questions help improve understanding of themes such as loss, responsibility, growing up, and acceptance of reality.

SEBA Class 10 English The Ball Poem Important Questions | Chapter-wise PYQs

A. Previous Year MCQs with Solutions

Q1. The word ‘rigid’ means — [HSLC ’23]
(a) flux
(b) soft
(c) hard
(d) dry
Answer: (c) hard

Q2. The world, as mentioned in ‘The Ball Poem’, is one of — [HSLC ’23]
(a) balls
(b) friends
(c) fun
(d) possessions
Answer: (d) possessions

Here are the questions in your required format:

Q3. In ‘The Ball Poem’, the boy senses his first responsibility in a world of — [HSLC 2024]
(A) balls
(B) playthings
(C) people
(D) possessions
Answer: (D) possessions

Q4. Why does the speaker in ‘The Ball Poem’ say that he would not intrude on the boy? [HSLC 2024]
(A) Because he knows that another ball is worthless
(B) Because he knows that the boy would not listen to him
(C) Because he does not want to disturb the boy
(D) Because he does not know how to speak to the boy
Answer: (A) Because he knows that another ball is worthless

Q5. “He is learning well behind his desperate eyes…” What is the opposite of the underlined word? [HSLC 2024]
(A) Disciplined
(B) Distressed
(C) Dolorous
(D) Cheerful
Answer: (D) Cheerful

Q6. With reference to “The Ball Poem”, choose the statement that correctly identifies the underlined words. “I would not intrude on him.” [HSLC 2025]
(a) The poet would not intrude on the boy.
(b) The passerby would not intrude on the boy.
(c) The boy would not intrude on the poet.
(d) The speaker would not intrude on the poet.
Answer: (a) The poet would not intrude on the boy.

Q7. What does the boy feel when he loses the ball as mentioned in “The Ball Poem”? [HSLC 2025]
(a) anxious
(b) sad
(c) stressed
(d) timid
Answer: (b) sad

Q8. The small boy in “The Ball Poem” is experiencing — [HSLC 2025]
(a) realisation
(b) joy
(c) elation
(d) gladness
Answer: (a) realisation

B. Extra MCQs as per HSLC Pattern with Solutions

Q1. Where did the ball finally land?
(a) In the drain
(b) In the harbour water
(c) On the street
(d) In the garden
Answer: (b) In the harbour water

Q2. The boy stands rigid and trembling because he —
(a) is afraid of water
(b) is angry
(c) has lost his ball
(d) is injured
Answer: (c) has lost his ball

Q3. The poet says, “Money is external.” This means money is —
(a) emotional
(b) internal
(c) material
(d) spiritual
Answer: (c) material

Q4. What does the boy stare at after losing the ball?
(a) The sky
(b) The street
(c) The harbour
(d) The poet
Answer: (c) The harbour

Q5. The phrase “shaking grief” suggests —
(a) slight sadness
(b) deep emotional sorrow
(c) anger
(d) excitement
Answer: (b) deep emotional sorrow

Q6. The boy senses his first responsibility in a world of —
(a) fun
(b) games
(c) possessions
(d) friends
Answer: (c) possessions

Q7. What does the word ‘rigid’ mean in the poem?
(a) Flexible
(b) Soft
(c) Stiff
(d) Loose
Answer: (c) Stiff

Q8. Who is the poet of ‘The Ball Poem’?
(a) Robert Frost
(b) W.B. Yeats
(c) John Berryman
(d) Sylvia Plath
Answer: (c) John Berryman

Q9. Why does the poet not offer the boy money?
(a) He has no money
(b) He wants the boy to learn from loss
(c) He is indifferent
(d) He is angry
Answer: (b) He wants the boy to learn from loss

Q10. “People will take / Balls, balls will be lost always…” This line suggests that —
(a) balls are cheap
(b) loss is a part of life
(c) children are careless
(d) money is important
Answer: (b) loss is a part of life

Q11. What is a ‘dime’?
(a) Five cents
(b) Ten cents
(c) Twenty cents
(d) One dollar
Answer: (b) Ten cents

Q12. The boy’s eyes are described as desperate because —
(a) he is tired
(b) he wants a new ball
(c) he has lost his ball
(d) he is angry with the poet
Answer: (c) he has lost his ball

Q13. “Merrily bouncing, down the street” indicates that the ball was —
(a) broken
(b) moving happily
(c) stuck
(d) heavy
Answer: (b) moving happily

Q14. What does the boy learn from his loss?
(a) To cry loudly
(b) To blame others
(c) To accept loss bravely
(d) To demand money
Answer: (c) To accept loss bravely

Q15. The expression “epistemology of loss” refers to —
(a) fear of loss
(b) joy of loss
(c) understanding the nature of loss
(d) forgetting loss
Answer: (c) understanding the nature of loss

Q16. Consider the following statements about the poem:
I. The ball represents childhood and possessions.
II. The poet immediately buys another ball for the boy.
(a) Only I is correct
(b) Only II is correct
(c) Both I and II are correct
(d) Neither I nor II are correct
Answer: (a) Only I is correct

Q17. Consider the following statements:
I. The boy is deeply affected by the loss.
II. The poet laughs at the boy’s sadness.
(a) Only I is correct
(b) Only II is correct
(c) Both are correct
(d) Neither is correct
Answer: (a) Only I is correct

Q18. Identify the correct statement about the poem:
(a) The poem teaches the value of money.
(b) The poem shows that loss helps us grow.
(c) The poem encourages buying new toys.
(d) The poem is about playing games.
Answer: (b) The poem shows that loss helps us grow.

Q19. Which of the following statements is true?
(a) The boy quickly forgets his loss.
(b) The boy stands trembling and staring.
(c) The poet scolds the boy.
(d) The ball returns from the water.
Answer: (b) The boy stands trembling and staring.

Q20. Choose the correct option regarding the speaker in the poem:
(a) He intrudes and consoles the boy.
(b) He ignores the boy completely.
(c) He understands the boy’s grief and remains silent.
(d) He scolds the boy for carelessness.
Answer: (c) He understands the boy’s grief and remains silent.

Q21. What was the boy doing when he lost his ball?
(a) Playing in the garden
(b) Playing in the street
(c) Playing near the harbour
(d) Playing at home
Answer: (c) Playing in the harbour

Q22. The ball went “merrily over” into the —
(a) drain
(b) well
(c) water
(d) house
Answer: (c) water

Q23. The word ‘desperate’ in the poem means —
(a) hopeful
(b) joyful
(c) hopeless
(d) proud
Answer: (c) hopeless

Q24. What fixes the boy in one position after the loss?
(a) Fear
(b) Anger
(c) Shaking grief
(d) Excitement
Answer: (c) Shaking grief

Q25. The poet sees the ball bouncing —
(a) sadly down the street
(b) slowly down the street
(c) merrily down the street
(d) heavily down the street
Answer: (c) merrily down the street

Q26. The boy is staring down into the harbour because —
(a) he wants to swim
(b) he hopes to get the ball back
(c) he is enjoying the view
(d) he is calling someone
Answer: (b) he hopes to get the ball back

Q27. What does the poet suggest about possessions?
(a) They last forever
(b) They are more important than feelings
(c) They can be lost anytime
(d) They bring permanent happiness
Answer: (c) They can be lost anytime

Q28. “A dime, another ball, is worthless” means —
(a) Money has no value
(b) Another ball cannot replace the lost one emotionally
(c) The ball was expensive
(d) The boy is careless
Answer: (b) Another ball cannot replace the lost one emotionally

Q29. The repetition in “Balls, balls will be lost always” emphasises —
(a) joy
(b) anger
(c) certainty of loss
(d) excitement
Answer: (c) certainty of loss

Q30. The poem mainly deals with the theme of —
(a) friendship
(b) childhood games
(c) loss and responsibility
(d) bravery in war
Answer: (c) loss and responsibility

Q31. Consider the following statements:
I. The poet offers money to buy another ball.
II. The boy experiences grief after losing the ball.
(a) Only I is correct
(b) Only II is correct
(c) Both I and II are correct
(d) Neither I nor II are correct
Answer: (b) Only II is correct

Q32. Consider the following statements:
I. The boy is learning how to stand up after loss.
II. The poet believes loss is a part of life.
(a) Only I is correct
(b) Only II is correct
(c) Both I and II are correct
(d) Neither I nor II are correct
Answer: (c) Both I and II are correct

Q33. Identify the correct statement about the boy:
(a) He laughs after losing the ball.
(b) He remains unaffected.
(c) He trembles and stares into the harbour.
(d) He immediately buys another ball.
Answer: (c) He trembles and stares into the harbour.

Q34. Which of the following statements is incorrect?
(a) The ball falls into the water.
(b) The boy is deeply sad.
(c) The poet forces the boy to forget his loss.
(d) The boy learns responsibility.
Answer: (c) The poet forces the boy to forget his loss.

Q35. The poet’s attitude towards the boy can be described as —
(a) mocking
(b) sympathetic
(c) angry
(d) careless
Answer: (b) sympathetic

Q36. The line “Knowing what every man must one day know” suggests that —
(a) only children face loss
(b) loss is universal
(c) money solves all problems
(d) life is always joyful
Answer: (b) loss is universal

Q37. The boy’s loss marks —
(a) the end of his childhood innocence
(b) the end of the poem
(c) a happy moment
(d) a careless act
Answer: (a) the end of his childhood innocence

Q38. What does the poet mean by “stand up” in the poem?
(a) Physically stand straight
(b) Fight with others
(c) Accept loss bravely
(d) Call for help
Answer: (c) Accept loss bravely

Q39. The mood of the poem after the loss is —
(a) cheerful
(b) humorous
(c) serious and reflective
(d) adventurous
Answer: (c) serious and reflective

Q40. Choose the correct combination:
I. The boy learns responsibility.
II. Loss helps in gaining maturity.
(a) Only I is correct
(b) Only II is correct
(c) Both I and II are correct
(d) Neither I nor II are correct
Answer: (c) Both I and II are correct

C. Previous Year Questions with Answer

Q1. Why is the boy in ‘The Ball Poem’ upset? [HSLC ’23]
Answer: The boy is upset because he lost his ball.

Q2. “— there it is in water”. What does ‘it’ refer to here? (‘The Ball Poem’) [HSLC ’23]
Answer: The ball.

D. Extra Questions as per HSLC Pattern with Answers

Q1. Why does the poet say, “I would not intrude on him”? Why doesn’t he offer money to buy another ball?
Answer: The poet says he would not intrude because he understands that the boy is going through a deep emotional experience. The loss of the ball is not just about losing a toy; it is about learning the pain of losing something dear. Offering money to buy another ball would not remove the boy’s grief. The poet believes that the boy must learn this lesson of responsibility and loss on his own. Money is external and cannot replace emotional attachment.

Q2. What does the ball symbolise in the poem?
Answer: The ball symbolises the boy’s childhood, innocence, and happy memories. It also represents material possessions that people become attached to. When the boy loses the ball, it symbolises the first experience of loss in life. Through this loss, he begins to understand that everything in life is temporary.

Q3. Describe the boy’s reaction after losing the ball.
Answer: After losing the ball, the boy stands rigid and trembling. He keeps staring down at the harbour where his ball has fallen. He is deeply sad and shocked. His reaction shows that he is experiencing real grief for the first time. He does not cry loudly but stands silently, trying to understand his loss.

Q4. What lesson does the boy learn from losing the ball?
Answer: The boy learns that loss is a part of life. He understands that possessions can be lost and cannot always be replaced. He also learns responsibility in the world of possessions. The poem suggests that everyone must learn how to bear losses and stand up after experiencing pain.

Q5. Explain the line: “Money is external.”
Answer: The line means that money is only an outside or material thing. It can buy another ball but cannot replace the memories and emotions attached to the lost one. The poet wants to show that emotional values are greater than material wealth. True understanding of loss comes from experience, not from money.

Q6. What does the poet mean by “the world of possessions”?
Answer: The phrase refers to the materialistic world where people own things and become attached to them. In this world, losing something is common. The boy is learning that possessions are temporary and can be taken away. It is part of growing up and becoming responsible.

Q7. How does the poet describe the boy’s grief?
Answer: The poet describes the boy’s grief as “an ultimate shaking grief.” The boy stands rigid and trembling. His eyes are desperate. These descriptions show that the loss has deeply affected him. It is not a small sadness but a strong emotional shock.

Q8. Why does the poet think that buying another ball is worthless?
Answer: Buying another ball is worthless because it cannot bring back the lost one with its memories and emotional value. The poet believes that the boy must learn to accept the loss instead of replacing it immediately. The real lesson lies in understanding and accepting grief.

Q9. What does the poet mean by “epistemology of loss”?
Answer: “Epistemology of loss” means understanding the true nature of loss. The boy is learning what it really means to lose something. He is gaining knowledge through experience. This knowledge will help him face bigger losses in life in the future.

Q10. How is the poem a lesson about growing up?
Answer: The poem shows that growing up involves experiencing pain and loss. The boy’s loss of the ball marks a step towards maturity. He begins to understand responsibility and the temporary nature of possessions. Through this experience, he learns an important life lesson.

Q11. Why does the poet repeat the word “merrily”?
Answer: The repetition of “merrily” highlights the happiness and carefree movement of the ball before it is lost. It contrasts sharply with the boy’s sadness after the loss. This contrast makes the grief more powerful and meaningful.

Q12. Do you think the boy had a deep attachment to the ball? Give reasons.
Answer: Yes, the boy had a deep attachment to the ball. His strong reaction—standing rigid, trembling, and staring into the harbour—shows that the ball meant more than just a toy. It was connected to his happy childhood days and memories.

Q13. How does the poem reflect real life experiences?
Answer: The poem reflects real life because everyone experiences loss at some point. Whether it is a small object or something more important, loss teaches people maturity and responsibility. The poem shows that such experiences are necessary parts of life.

Q14. Why does the poet say, “And no one buys a ball back”?
Answer: The poet means that once something is lost, it cannot truly be brought back in its original form. Even if we replace it, the original memories and feelings cannot be restored. This line emphasises the permanence of loss.

Q15. What message does the poet convey through ‘The Ball Poem’?
Answer: The poet conveys that loss is an unavoidable part of life. People must learn to accept and bear losses bravely. Material possessions are temporary, but the understanding gained from loss helps a person grow emotionally stronger and more mature.

SEBA Class 10 English The Ball Poem Important Extra Questions with Previous Year Solved Questions for HSLC Exam 2026–27

The SEBA Class 10 English The Ball Poem Important Extra Questions provided on this page are specially prepared for HSLC students following the latest SEBA (ASSEB) syllabus 2026–27. These important extra questions along with previous year solved questions (PYQs) help students practise exam-oriented answers effectively.

This SEBA Class 10 English The Ball Poem Important Extra Questions guide includes short answer questions, long answer questions, extract-based questions, poetic devices, and theme-based explanations. The structured format matches the HSLC examination pattern and improves analytical and writing skills.

Each important question in this Class 10 English The Ball Poem Question Answers collection highlights key aspects such as the boy’s emotional attachment to the ball, the idea of loss, and the lesson of responsibility. Frequently asked previous year solved questions are included to help students understand exam trends clearly.

These SEBA Class 10 English The Ball Poem Important Extra Questions are ideal for final revision and last-minute preparation. Regular practice strengthens poetic analysis, comprehension skills, and confidence in answering literature-based questions.

If you are searching for reliable and updated SEBA Class 10 English The Ball Poem Important Extra Questions for the HSLC Exam 2026–27, this study material prepared by Assam Eduverse serves as a trusted exam-focused revision resource.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Why is The Ball Poem important for HSLC exam?

The poem is important because questions on theme, message, and poetic devices are frequently asked in the HSLC exam.

2. Are previous year solved questions included?

Yes, important previous year solved questions (PYQs) are included for effective exam preparation.

3. What is the central theme of The Ball Poem?

The central theme is the experience of loss and the lesson of responsibility and maturity.

4. Are extract-based questions available?

Yes, extract-based questions are included according to the HSLC exam pattern.

5. Are poetic devices covered?

Yes, important poetic devices such as imagery and symbolism are covered.

6. Can practising these questions improve marks?

Yes, regular practice improves poetic analysis and overall exam performance.

7. Is this content suitable for ASSEB students?

Yes, SEBA and ASSEB are the same board, so the content is suitable for all Class 10 students.

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Class 10 English The Ball Poem PYQs