Class 10 English Poem 1 Solution – Dust of Snow (Robert Frost) | SEBA Assam

Class 10 English Poem 1 – Dust of Snow – All Textual Solutions | ASSEB Assam (English Medium)

Class 10 English Poem 1 – Dust of Snow Complete Textual Question Answers and Solutions (ASSEB / SEBA Assam – English Medium)

The very first poem of the Class 10 English textbook ‘First Flight’, titled ‘Dust of Snow’ by the renowned American poet Robert Frost, is a short but deeply meaningful piece. Based on the latest guidelines of the new ASSEB (Assam State School Education Board) syllabus and the New Education Policy (NEP) for upcoming board exams, we have prepared complete textual question answers and solutions for this poem. This special compilation includes very short answers (VSA), short questions, long answers, and poetic device explanations. At Ospin Academy, these solutions are provided in an easy, accurate, and completely exam-oriented format.

This poem beautifully illustrates the healing power of nature. It describes a simple moment where a crow shakes off the “dust of snow” from a poisonous hemlock tree, falling onto the poet. This seemingly ordinary, perhaps even ominous, event completely transforms the poet’s depressed mood and saves the rest of his day from being ruined. For board candidates, understanding the symbolic meaning of the crow and the hemlock tree, along with the central message of the poem, is extremely important. Our textual solutions cover not only the textbook exercise questions but also extra important questions and answers that may appear in the exams, helping students prepare thoroughly.

What you will learn and get from these textual solutions:

• Detailed summary and analysis of the poem’s central theme regarding nature’s restorative power.
• Perfect answers for 1-mark very short questions (VSA objective type) and 2-3 mark short questions.
• Simple and standard solutions for 4-5 mark long questions and extract-based stanza explanations.
• Proper knowledge of poetic devices like alliteration, rhyme scheme, and symbolism used in the poem.
• Solutions for the latest pattern MCQ questions along with important questions according to the new syllabus.

Special benefits of these Ospin Academy solutions:

• Complete textual solutions prepared on the basis of the latest ASSEB new syllabus.
• 100% accurate, high-quality notes written in simple English that are easy for students to memorize (Class 10 English Notes).
• Specially curated easy-to-understand answers for quick revision before exams.
• A special collection of extra important questions from ‘Dust of Snow’ for the board examinations.

Keeping in mind the academic upliftment of the students, Ospin Academy has brought forward these special textual solutions. Start your board exam preparation now and step forward towards scoring the highest marks in English.

Chapter 1

Dust of Snow

– Thinking about the Poem

Q.1 What is a ‘dust of snow’? What does the poet say has changed his mood? How has the poet’s mood changed?

Ans.: ‘Dust of Snow’ means the small particles of snow that can be felt in the air after or during snowfall. The poet is very sad and is sitting under the hemlock tree. Suddenly a crow shakes the tree, and the dust of snow falls on the poet. This incident changes the poet’s mood as he starts to think about nature and beauty.

Q.2 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 crew shakes off a hemlock tree stand for?

Ans.: In this poem, Robert Frost praises and describes different sights of nature. Here he touches on different aspects of natural sights. There are many things in nature that are not considered auspicious like crows and hemlock. Generally, birds like cuckoos, sparrow and peacock which have some pleasing qualities about them are mentioned in the poems. The images of loud and unpleasant cawing come when one thinks about crows. Crow is not considered a good bird. Similarly, hemlock tree is a poisonous tree and that is why it is the symbol of sadness. When the crow shakes off the dust of snow from the hemlock tree, it falls on the poet. Thus, the poet’s mood changes due to this incident.

       The poet uses these symbols to express that natural beauty can improve the human mood. Also, by using these symbols the poet hopes to steer clear of stereotypes.

Q.3 Have there been times when you felt depressed or hopeless ? Have you experienced a similar moment that changed your mood that day?

Ans.: Yes, there had been times when I felt depressed and hopeless and eventually felt relieved when the situation got sorted. My results for twelfth standard boards were unexpected. I had prepared well but could not perform commensurately in the examinations. I felt very depressed and did not know what to do further. A few weeks later, the results of my college entrance tests arrived, and I got picked for a good college. This lifted my mood and made me believe that no trouble is permanent.