Comprehension
Read the following poem and answer the TWO questions that follow.
In the darkened room
a woman
cannot find her reflection in the mirror
waiting as usual
at the edge of sleep
In her hands she holds
the oil lamp
whose drunken yellow flames
know where her lonely body hides
Question: 1

Which of the following statements BEST conveys the theme of the poem?

Updated On: Jan 13, 2026
  • The poem explores the quality of life of a woman.
  • The poem laments the suffering and frustration of a woman.
  • The poem celebrates the woman’s futile and meaningless life.
  • The poem revolves around a woman whose liberty has been throttled.
  • The poem revolves around the woman’s feeling of alienation.
Show Solution

The Correct Option is

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Analyze the poem's central theme.
Metaphorical language, such as "drunken yellow flames" and "her lonely body," conveys isolation. The absence of a reflection in a mirror amplifies the woman's sense of alienation.
Step 2: Assess the provided choices.
- Option 1: Rejected. While the poem contemplates existence, it does not examine the quality of life.
- Option 2: Rejected. Although frustration and suffering are evident, alienation is the predominant theme.
- Option 3: Rejected. The poem does not celebrate futility or a lack of meaning.
- Option 4: Rejected. The poem does not directly address the stifling of liberty.
- Option 5: Accepted. The poem effectively illustrates the woman's feelings of alienation and solitude.
Final Answer: (5)

Was this answer helpful?
0
Question: 2

What do the lines “the drunken yellow flames/know where her lonely body hides” BEST represent?

Updated On: Jan 13, 2026
  • The lines represent flames as forces that are aware of her solitude.
  • The lines represent flames as turbulent emotions of a nameless woman.
  • The lines represent flames that highlight the location of her body.
  • The lines represent flames as distorted memories that preserve her identity.
  • The lines represent flames as her desperate pursuit for her lost self.
Show Solution

The Correct Option is A

Solution and Explanation

Phase 1: Metaphorical Interpretation.
The phrase "drunken yellow flames" serves as a metaphor for the pervasive sense of the woman's isolation. These flames represent her solitude and internal conflicts.
Phase 2: Option Assessment.
- Option 1: Valid. The flames symbolize solitude and the acknowledgment of her loneliness.
- Option 2: Invalid. The poem does not describe emotional turmoil or disorder. 
- Option 3: Invalid. The flames are metaphorical, not literal geographical markers. 
- Option 4: Invalid. The text does not allude to the preservation of identity. 
- Option 5: Invalid. The flames do not signify a pursuit or endeavor.
Concluding Determination: (1)

Was this answer helpful?
0

Top Questions on Poems

Questions Asked in XAT exam

Read the scenario and answer the question:
The upper hinge of a dataset is the median of all the values to the right of the median of the dataset in an ascending arrangement, while the lower hinge of the dataset is the median of all the values to the left of the median of the dataset in the same arrangement.
For example, consider the dataset 4, 3, 2, 6, 4, 2, 7. When arranged in the ascending order, it becomes 2, 2, 3, 4, 4, 6, 7. The median is 4 (the bold value), and hence the upper hinge is the median of 4, 6, 7, i.e., 6. Similarly, the lower hinge is 2. 
A student has surveyed thirteen of her teachers, and recorded their work experience (in integer years). Two of the values recorded by the student got smudged, and she cannot recall those values. All she remembers is that those two values were unequal, so let us write them as A and B, where A < B. The remaining eleven values, as recorded, are: 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 16, 19, 21, 21, 27, 29. Moreover, the student also remembers the following summary measures, calculated based on all the thirteen values: 
Minimum: 2
Lower Hinge: 6.5 
Median: 12 
Upper Hinge: 21 
Maximum: 29
View Solution
Read the following scenario and answer the questions that follow.
A T20 cricket match consists of two teams playing twenty overs each, numbered 1 to 20. The runs scored in any over is a non-negative integer. The run rate at the end of any over is the average runs scored up to and including that over, i.e., the run rate at the end of the kth over is the average number of runs scored in overs numbered \(1, 2, …, k,\) where \(1 \leq k \leq 20, k\) a positive integer.
The following table indicates the run rate of a team at the end of some of the overs during a T20 cricket match (correct up to 2 decimal places), where \(1 \leq N – 2 < N + 6 \leq 20\), N a positive integer. It is also known that the team did not score less than 6 runs and more than 15 runs in any over.
Over NumberRun Rate
N-28.00
N7.43
N+28.11
N+48.45
N+68.08
View Solution