ANGEL
Abou Ben Adhem! (may his tribe increase!)
Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace,
And saw within the moonlight in his room,
Making it rich and like a lily in bloom,
An angel writing in a book of gold:
Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem bold,
And to the presence in the room, he said,
“What writest thou?” The vision raised its head,
And with a look made of all sweet accord,
Answered “The names of those who love the Lord.”
“And is mine one?” said Abou. “Nay, not so,”
Replied the Angel. Abou spoke more low.
But cheerily still and said, “I pray thee then,
Write me as one that loves his fellow men.”
The angel wrote and vanished.
It came again with a great wakening light,
And showed the names whom the love of God has blessed.
And lo! Ben Adhem’s name led all the rest.
— Leigh Hunt
Word-Meanings
1.angel: messenger of God 2. cheerily: happily 3. vanished: disappeared 4. wakening: to awaken 5. vision: a very beautiful thing or person
Questions:
1. Choose the correct option:
 (a) Love thy ……………. as thyself.
 (i) friend        (ii) neighbour
(iii) relative    (iv) country
(b) Those who love human beings are ………… men in the real sense.
(i) friendly      (ii) cooperative
(iii) religious   (iv) mainly
(c) Abou was awakened by a ………. light.
(i) dim            (ii) sharp
 (iii) dark        (iv) dazzling
(d) It was ……….. light that made the room beautiful.
(i) the bulb’s   (ii) the Angel’s
 (iii) moon’s    (iv) sun’s
 (e) ‘Led all the rest’ means……….
 (i) on the top (ii) supreme
(iii) excellent  (iv) none
(f) The room was lit ………… with moonlight.
(i) on          (ii) at         (iii) up            (iv) into
2.Answer the questions briefly:
(a) When Abou Ben Adhem awoke, what did his room look like?
(b) Who gets ‘a deep dream of peace’?
 (c) What has made Abou bold?
 (d) What is meant by the words—more low’?
(e) Why does the poet use the expression `lo’?
 (f) How did the angel look?
Answers:
1.(a) ii       (b) iii       (c) iv       (d)ii        (e) i       (f) iii
2.(a) When Abou Ben Adhem woke up, his room was full of light and looked like a blooming lily.
(b) A deep dream of peace is experienced by a person who has no towards anybody.
 (c) Peace of mind coming from a life of no has made Abou bold.
(d) The words ‘ lower’ simply mean humbly.
(e) This expression is used to express surprise.
(f) The angel looked very peaceful and there was light all around her.
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