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"A Sea of Foliage" — ICSE Class 7 | Quick Q&A, Summary & Exam Tips

Short summary

The poem paints a lively picture of a garden that looks like a "sea of foliage" — not monotonous, but full of different shades and textures of green. The poet moves our view from the wide foliage to a special, moonlit spot among the bamboos where white lotuses shine like cups of silver. The poem celebrates nature's colours, contrasts and the joy they bring to the observer.

Q&A — straight to the point (ideal for quick revision)

1. This poem describes a garden at two different times. What are those times? How do you know?
Answer: Day and night. Clues: different shades of green are visible in sunlight (day) and the moon peeping between bamboo trees indicates night.
2a. Why is the foliage compared to a sea?
Answer: Because the foliage stretches all around and seems vast and continuous like a sea.
2b. How is it not a sea of dull, unvaried green? Give an example.
Answer: The garden contains many kinds of plants with contrasting greens — e.g., light green of tamarind leaves vs deep green of a mango grove — which makes the view rich and lively.
2c. What effect does this variation have on the garden and the speaker?
Answer: The variation brightens and enlivens the garden; it lifts the poet's spirit and fills her with joy and wonder.
3. Why is the scene among the bamboos the loveliest spot? What effect does it have?
Answer: Moonlight peeps through bamboo and rings the white lotuses in silver light; the dazzling sight is intoxicating and almost makes the poet feel dizzy with delight.
4. “The white Lotus changes into a cup of silver.” What does this mean?
Answer: The moonlight makes the white lotus gleam like a silver cup — a vivid image of reflected light.
5a. “Palms arise / light pillars gray” — which quality does this simile point to?
Answer: It highlights the tall, straight, pillar-like appearance of palm trees.
5b. Find another unusual simile in the first stanza and explain it.
Answer: “...starting like a trumpet’s sound” — the Seemul trees leaning over the pool are described by comparing the sight to a sound. It's unusual because a visual is compared to a sound, creating surprise.
6. How does the poem ask us to look all around — from high above to down below?
Answer: The poet names trees side-by-side (tamarind, mango, Seemul) and describes moon through bamboo and lotus in the pond — guiding the reader's gaze from sky to ground, and all around the garden.
7. How does the poet describe the garden and what effect does it have on the observer?
Answer: She gives vivid, colourful images — mango clumps, tall palms, red Seemul flowers, white lotuses in moonlight — creating a sense of wonder and a feeling of being in a little heaven on earth.

Key points, vocabulary & quick notes

Theme: Beauty of nature and joyful observation
Imagery: Visual (colors, moonlight) & mixed senses (sight compared to sound)
Figures: Simile, personification, contrast
Important words: Seemul (silk cotton), lotus, bamboo

Exam tips & sample short answers

  1. Use key words: mention the moon, bamboo, lotus, Seemul, tamarind, mango to score in content points.
  2. Be precise: For one-mark/short-answer questions give 1–2 clear sentences.
  3. For long answers: Start with a direct sentence, support with lines from the poem (if asked), and finish with the poet's feeling or effect.
  4. Language tip: Use vivid verbs and adjectives — glowing, gleaming, towering, silver, dazzling.
  5. Practice: Convert each Q into a 1-line answer and a 2–3 line answer — that's how you beat objective+subjective sections.

Sample 2–3 line answer (Question 3)

"The bamboo spot is the loveliest because the moon peeps between the bamboos and lights up the white lotuses, making them gleam like silver cups. The sight is so dazzling that it fills the poet with delight and she almost feels dizzy."

  • One-line summary of poem — garden of varied greens, moonlit lotus
  • Remember 5 keywords: bamboo, lotus, Seemul, mango, palm
  • 3 Figures of speech to cite: simile, personification, contrast
  • Exam-ready 2–3 line sample answer (keep above)

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© JST Institute • Study smart: revise actively, write sample answers and memorize keywords.

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