A Concrete Example

Left column (top to bottom): hedge wheelbarrow sapling flower beds fence

Right column (top to bottom): flower pot pebbles garden hose vine rockery

Yes, ‘concrete’ has two meanings.

• As a noun, it is a hard building material made by mixing cement, sand, small stones and water.
• As an adjective, it means real, definite or clear. For example, a concrete example or concrete proof.

The poem describes Mrs. Jones, the speaker’s next-door neighbour, who has a unique garden filled with 1. stones. Her garden includes a peculiar 2. crazy path, a pond, and a rockery, along with an unusual 3. sundial that she finds charming. Mrs. Jones plants tiny, 4. delicate plants between the stones, which the speaker thinks must be so small that they are planted with a 5. pin. One day, Mrs. Jones invites the speaker to see her garden, and they discuss a 6. flower that Mrs. Jones treasures. When the speaker asks where the 7. lovely flower is, Mrs. Jones says that the speaker has been 8. standing on it all along.

• 1. The tone of the poem is ______. — D. (ii) humorous, (iv) amusing, and (v) light-hearted
• 2. The speaker in the poem is ______. — (ii) the poet
• 3. The rhyme scheme of the poem is ______. — (i) AABBCC

1. The poet uses the word ‘stones’ in all stanzas in order to emphasise her obsession with a stony garden.
2. The poet uses imagery to describe the features of the garden that help readers visualise the garden’s peculiar nature.

• plants them with a pin
• quite a quarter
• sundial with a strange device
• puts little plants

The refrain is: My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Jones

The speaker expects to see a big, lovely flower. But the flower is so tiny that he is standing on it without knowing.

1. The word ‘concrete’ can refer to the stones, the crazy path and the rockery in Mrs. Jones’ garden.
2. The title also has a symbolic meaning, as the poem provides a clear or ‘concrete’ example of Mrs. Jones’ peculiar (unusual) gardening habits.

• 1. A sundial with a strange device — peculiar
• 2. … which Mrs. Jones thinks rather nice — pleasant
• 3. They are so delicate… — fragile
• 4. “Where is this lovely thing?” I cried. — exclaimed

A device is a thing made or used for a particular purpose, like a tool or an instrument. A sundial is a device that shows the time using the shadow of the sun.

• 1. Where was Nek Chand’s Rock Garden featured? — Indian postage stamp
• 2. What kind of sculptures does the Rock Garden have? — colourful sculptures
• 3. How is the Rock Garden divided? — three distinct phases
• 4. Name any one thing that has been transformed into a piece of art. — terracotta pots (or light fixtures / broken toilet pots)
• 5. Approximately, how many statues border the Rock Garden? — around 5,000

Sample (Situation ii):

A: I’m really sorry, Didi. I broke your flower craft by mistake. Please forgive me.

B: That’s alright. These things happen. We can make a new one together.

Sample (Situation ii):

Student: Ma’am, I’m extremely sorry for coming late to school for the past three days. I promise it won’t happen again.

Principal: I accept your apology. Please ensure you reach school on time from tomorrow.