A Concrete Example- Textual Notes

STUDY NOTES: A CONCRETE EXAMPLE

Poet: Reginald Arkell

Theme: Loving nature, looking at things differently, and light-hearted humor.

Title Meaning (Pun):

Literal: "Concrete" refers to the actual stones, cement, and rocks used in the garden.

Metaphorical: "Concrete example" means a clear, real-life example of Mrs. Jones’ unique gardening habit.

PRE-READING EXERCISES

Let us do these activities before we read (Page 17)

I. Read the names of items you usually find in a garden and write their names against each picture given below.

(Options: garden hose, sapling, hedge, flower beds, flower pot, pebbles, rockery, fence, vine, wheelbarrow)

II. Work in groups of four. What kind of garden would you like to have? Mention the features and reasons.

I would like to have a small, colorful garden with bright flowers, a soft grass lawn, and a small bird feeder. I want flowers for their sweet smell and beautiful colors, and a bird feeder to invite chirping birds every morning.

III. Read the title of the poem. What comes to your mind when you read the word 'concrete'? Does it have more than one meaning?

Yes, it has two meanings:

1. A hard building material made of cement and stones.

2. Something clear, real, and specific (like a "concrete example").

WHILE READING / LET US DISCUSS

Let us discuss (Pages 19–20)

I. Complete the summary with exact words from the poem.

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 3. lily pond, and a rockery, along with an unusual 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 thing is, Mrs. Jones says that the speaker has been 8. standing on it all along.

II. Select the correct option to fill in the blanks.

1. The tone of the poem is:

     D. (ii), (iv), and (v) (humorous, amusing, light-hearted)

2. The speaker in the poem is:

(ii) the poet

3. The rhyme scheme of the poem is:

(i) AABBCC (Stones/bones/pond/beyond, etc.)

III. Complete the sentences by choosing the correct answer given in the brackets.

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.

IV. Pick examples of alliteration from the poem.

"plants... pin" (repetition of /p/ sound)

"sundial with a strange..." (repetition of /s/ sound)

V. Identify the refrain from the poem.

"My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Jones,"

VI. Identify the line(s) from the poem that display(s) situational irony.

"Where is this lovely thing?" I cried.

"You're standing on it," she replied.

VII. Complete the following sentences appropriately.

1. The word 'concrete' can refer to the hard cement or stones used in Mrs. Jones' garden.

2. The title also has a symbolic meaning, as the poem provides a clear or 'concrete' example of Mrs. Jones' unusual and funny gardening habits.

POST-READING EXERCISES

Let us think and reflect (Pages 20–21)

I. Read the given extract and answer the questions that follow:

"My next-door neighbour, Mrs. Jones, has got a garden full of stones: A crazy path, a lily pond, a rockery and, just beyond A sundial with a strange device, which Mrs. Jones thinks rather nice."

1. What can be inferred about Mrs. Jones's taste in gardening?

She likes unique, unusual, and creative things rather than a simple green garden.

2. Identify whether the statement is True or False: "The garden serves as a means to reveal more about Mrs. Jones herself."

True.

3. What does the poet mean by 'crazy path'?

A path made of irregular, unevenly shaped stones laid down randomly.

4. What does the sundial with a 'strange device' suggest about Mrs. Jones' personality?

A. She has a fascination with unusual items.

II. Short Answer Questions (Page 21)

1. How does Mrs. Jones feel about her garden? Support your answer with evidence.

Mrs. Jones loves her garden deeply and takes pride in it. She thinks her strange sundial is "rather nice" and invites her neighbor to show off her special flowers.

2. Why do you think the speaker describes the plants as being so small that they could be planted with a pin?

The speaker uses humor and hyperbole (exaggeration) to show how tiny and almost invisible those plants are between the big stones.

3. What do we get to know about Mrs. Jones based on her gardening style and her interaction with the speaker?

She is eccentric, gentle, proud of small details, friendly, and patient. She loves tiny, quiet things in life.

4. The poem portrays Mrs. Jones in a positive light. Support this statement.

Even though her garden is strange, she is depicted as a kind and gentle woman who loves her garden and warmly shares it with her neighbor.

5. What does the poem tell us about the way people think differently about the world around them?

It shows that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. What looks like an ordinary pile of stones to one person can be a beautiful world full of wonders to another.

Let us learn: Vocabulary & Grammar (Pages 21–22)

I. Replace the underlined word with the correct synonym from brackets:

1. A sundial with a strange device → unusual

2. ...which Mrs. Jones thinks rather nice. → pleasant

3. They are so delicate... → fragile

4. "Where is this lovely thing?" I cried. → exclaimed

II. Match the types of instruments in Column 1 with definitions in Column 2 and examples in Column 3:

1. implement → (iii) something used by hand to make or do work → spade, knife, fork

2. tool → (v) something used by hand to make or repair → hammer, screwdriver, pliers

3. equipment → (iv) a set of necessary items for a particular purpose → cricket bat, helmet, gloves

4. appliance → (i) something that is electrical and used to do work in the house → mixer grinder, refrigerator, oven

5. gadget → (ii) something small that is mechanical or electronic → mobile phone, laptop, smartwatch

III. Word Building - Changing first letters (Page 22)

1. Word: nice

(i) cut into small pieces: dice

(ii) grain that we cook: rice

(iii) plural of mouse: mice

(iv) bad habit: vice

2. Word: soil

(i) heat something to bubbling point: boil

(ii) work very hard: toil

(iii) length of wire in a circle: coil

(iv) sheets to wrap food items: foil

Let us listen (Page 23 & Transcript Page 47)

Answers based on the presentation about the Rock Garden of Chandigarh:

1. Where was Nek Chand's Rock Garden featured?

On an Indian postage stamp (in 1983).

2. What kind of sculptures does the Rock Garden have?

Colorful sculptures and mosaic art pieces.

3. How is the Rock Garden divided?

Into three distinct phases.

4. Name any one thing transformed into a piece of art:

Terracotta pots / light fixtures / broken toilet pots.

5. Approximately how many statues border the Rock Garden?

Around 5,000 statues.

Let us speak: Apologising (Pages 23–24)

 1. Informal Apology Examples:

(i) Ate brother's sweets: "I'm really sorry I ate your sweets. I'll buy you new ones!" — "That's alright, no big deal!"

(iv) Forgot friend's notebook: "Sorry, I forgot to bring your notebook today." — "No problem, just bring it tomorrow!"

2. Formal Apology Examples:

(i) Assignment not brought: "I'm extremely sorry, ma'am. I left my assignment at home. I promise I will submit it tomorrow." — "I accept your apology. Please ensure it doesn't happen again."

Let us write: Notice Writing (Page 25)

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                     GREENWOOD PUBLIC SCHOOL                       

                             NOTICE                                

 12 October 2026                                                   

                     INAUGURATION OF HERB GARDEN                   

 All students of Grades 6 to 8 are hereby informed that the        

 Nature Club is inaugurating the new School Herb Garden.           

 Date : 16 October 2026                                            

 Time : 10:00 AM                                                   

 Venue: School Rear Lawn                                           

 Chief Guest: Principal Dr. S. Sharma                              

 Students are invited to attend and learn about medicinal plants.  

 For details, contact the undersigned.                             

 Rohan Mehta                                                       

 Secretary, Nature Club                                           

 Class 7-A                                                         

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