Samacheer Class 10 English - No Men Are Foreign

Your Progress - Chapter 60% complete

1Comprehension (based on lines)5 questions

Q.1Beneath all uniforms, a single body breathes Like ours: the land our brothers walk upon Is earth like this, in which we all shall lie. a) What is found beneath all uniforms? b) What is same for every one of us? c) Where are we all going to lie finally?v

Solution

a) The poet says beneath all uniforms there is one body — meaning a shared humanity. b) Everyone shares the same basic needs and the same land/earth; our human nature is the same. c) Ultimately we will all lie in the earth — i.e., be buried in the same ground.

Answer:

a) A single human body (humanity). b) The same land/earth and our basic human nature. c) We shall all lie in the earth (be buried in the same earth).

Q.2They, too, aware of sun and air and water, Are fed by peaceful harvests, by war's long winter starv'd. a) What is common for all of us? b) How are we fed? c) Mention the season referred here.v

Solution

a) The poet points out that others are also aware of and dependent on sun, air and water. b) In peace they are fed by harvests; in war they may experience starvation. c) The season mentioned is winter.

Answer:

a) Awareness of sun, air and water (basic needs). b) By peaceful harvests (or, when there is war, they may be starved in winter). c) Winter.

Q.3Their hands are ours, and in their lines we read A labour not different from our own. a) Who does 'their' refer to? b) What does the poet mean by 'lines we read'? c) What does not differ?v

Solution

a) The poet refers to other human beings as 'their'. b) The lines on their hands symbolise their labour and life experiences which we can read as similar to ours. c) The nature of their labour is not different from our labour.

Answer:

a) 'Their' refers to other people — our brothers (including soldiers or those of other nations). b) 'Lines we read' means the lines on their hands that show their labour and life — signs of hard work. c) The kind of labour/work (the human toil) does not differ.

Q.4Let us remember, whenever we are told To hate our brothers, it is ourselves That we shall dispossess, betray, condemn. a) Who tells us to hate our brothers? b) What happens when we hate our brothers? c) What do we do to ourselves?v

Solution

a) The poet warns against those who urge us to hate — people who promote enmity. b) Such hatred harms us collectively: we lose and betray our own values and security. c) By hating others we effectively harm and betray ourselves.

Answer:

a) Those who incite hatred — propagandists, warmongers or leaders who benefit from division. b) When we hate our brothers we end up dispossessing, betraying and condemning ourselves. c) We betray, dispossess and condemn our own humanity and interests.

Q.5Our hells of fire and dust outrage the innocence Of air that is everywhere our own, Remember, no men are foreign, and no countries strange. a) What outrages the innocence? b) Who are not foreign? c) What is not strange?v

Solution

a) The poet refers to war's destruction as outraging the innocent air. b) The line asserts that all humans are essentially not foreign to one another. c) The poem stresses that countries/lands are not strange because we all share the same earth.

Answer:

a) 'Our hells of fire and dust' — the destruction and horrors of war — outrage the innocence. b) No men (people) are foreign. c) No countries (lands) are strange — the earth is common to all.

2Writing (long answer)2 questions

Q.1Based on your understanding of the poem answer the following questions in a paragraph of about 100-150 words. 1. What is the central theme of the poem 'No Men Are Foreign'?v

Solution

The poem emphasizes human unity and the futility and cruelty of hatred and war. It shows how basic human needs and experiences are shared across nations and insists that attacking others is in effect attacking ourselves. The poet therefore calls for recognising common bonds and choosing peace.

Answer:

The central theme is the oneness and common humanity of all people and a denunciation of hatred and war. The poet stresses that beneath outward differences — uniforms, skin colour, nationality — there is a single human body with the same needs: air, water, food and labour. He argues that waging war or hating others is ultimately self-destructive because it harms our shared humanity and the common earth we live on. The poem urges remembrance of our kinship and calls for brotherhood and peace instead of division and violence.

Q.2Based on your understanding of the poem answer the following questions in a paragraph of about 100-150 words. 2. The poem 'No Men Are Foreign' has a greater relevance in todays world. Elucidate.v

Solution

Explain relevance: cite present-day examples (conflict, refugees, global crises) and show how the poem's call for recognising common humanity and avoiding hate and war applies now.

Answer:

The poem remains highly relevant today because the modern world still faces conflicts driven by nationalism, racism, religious intolerance and economic competition. Migration, global pandemics and climate change further show how interconnected humans are; problems in one place affect others. The poem's appeal to common humanity reminds us that prejudices and wars harm not only the victims but also those who foster hatred, as they destroy shared resources and moral bonds. Embracing kinship and cooperation can prevent needless suffering and help address global issues together, making the poem a lasting plea for peace and mutual respect.

3Fill in the blanks (word bank)9 questions

Q.1This poem is about the ___(1)___ of all men.v

A. unity of human
B. dreams and aspirations
C. same land
D. our hands
E. unnatural
F. breathing body
G. same eyes
H. brotherhood
I. language
J. human earth

Solution

(1) Brotherhood.

Answer:

(1) Brotherhood.

Q.2The subject of the poem is the ___(2)___ race, despite the difference in colour , caste, creed , religion , country etc.v

A. unity of human
B. dreams and aspirations
C. same land
D. our hands
E. unnatural
F. breathing body
G. same eyes
H. brotherhood
I. language
J. human earth

Solution

(2) Unity of the human race.

Answer:

(2) Unity of the human race.

Q.3We walk on the ___(3)___ and we will be buried under it.v

A. unity of human
B. dreams and aspirations
C. same land
D. our hands
E. unnatural
F. breathing body
G. same eyes
H. brotherhood
I. language
J. human earth

Solution

(3) Same land.

Answer:

(3) Same land.

Q.4We may wear different uniforms like' ___(4)___ ,' during wars the opposing side will also have the samev

A. unity of human
B. dreams and aspirations
C. same land
D. our hands
E. unnatural
F. breathing body
G. same eyes
H. brotherhood
I. language
J. human earth

Solution

(4) Language.

Answer:

(4) Language.

Q.5___(5)___ like ours. We as human do the same labour with ___(6)___ and look at the world with the ___(7)___. Waging war against others as they belong to a different country is like attacking our own selves. It is the ___(8)___ we impair. We all share the same___(9)___. We are similar to each other. So the poet concludes that we shouldn't have wars as it is ___(10)___ to fight against us.v

A. unity of human
B. dreams and aspirations
C. same land
D. our hands
E. unnatural
F. breathing body
G. same eyes
H. brotherhood
I. language
J. human earth

Solution

(5) breathing body; (6) our hands; (7) same eyes; (8) human earth; (9) dreams and aspirations; (10) unnatural.

Answer:

(5) breathing body; (6) our hands; (7) same eyes; (8) human earth; (9) dreams and aspirations; (10) unnatural.

Q.6We as human do the same labour with ___(6)___ and look at the world with the ___(7)___.v

A. unity of human
B. dreams and aspirations
C. same land
D. our hands
E. unnatural
F. breathing body
G. same eyes
H. brotherhood
I. language
J. human earth

Solution

(6) Our hands; (7) same eyes.

Answer:

(6) Our hands; (7) same eyes.

Q.8It is the ___(8)___ we impair.v

A. unity of human
B. dreams and aspirations
C. same land
D. our hands
E. unnatural
F. breathing body
G. same eyes
H. brotherhood
I. language
J. human earth

Solution

(8) Human earth.

Answer:

(8) Human earth.

Q.9We all share the same___(9)___.v

A. unity of human
B. dreams and aspirations
C. same land
D. our hands
E. unnatural
F. breathing body
G. same eyes
H. brotherhood
I. language
J. human earth

Solution

(9) Dreams and aspirations.

Answer:

(9) Dreams and aspirations.

Q.10So the poet concludes that we shouldn't have wars as it is ___(10)___ to fight against us.v

A. unity of human
B. dreams and aspirations
C. same land
D. our hands
E. unnatural
F. breathing body
G. same eyes
H. brotherhood
I. language
J. human earth

Solution

(10) Unnatural.

Answer:

(10) Unnatural.

4Paragraph writing2 questions

Q.11. What is the central theme of the poem 'No Men Are Foreign'?v

Solution

Concise explanation: The poet urges recognition of common human bonds and condemns enmity and war because they destroy our shared humanity and the land we all belong to.

Answer:

The poem's central theme is the shared humanity of all people and the rejection of hatred and war. It emphasizes that beneath outward differences we all have the same basic needs and are connected by the same earth, therefore conflicts that dehumanize others are ultimately harmful to ourselves.

Q.22. The poem 'No Men Are Foreign' has a greater relevance in todays world. Elucidate.v

Solution

Provide examples of modern issues (wars, refugees, global crises) and link them to the poem's plea for unity, showing why the poem remains relevant.

Answer:

The poem's message is especially important today because conflicts based on nationality, religion or race continue to cause suffering. Global challenges like migration, climate change and pandemics show that humanity is interconnected; therefore cooperation and empathy are essential. The poem reminds us that since we share the same needs and the same earth, hatred and war are self-defeating. Its call for recognizing common humanity and choosing peace is a timely moral guidance for contemporary society.

5Literary devices / Cloze1 questions

Q.ClozeBased on your understanding of the poem complete the following by choosing the appropriate words/phrases given in brackets: (unity of human, dreams and aspirations, same land, our hands, unnatural, breathing body, same eyes, brotherhood, language, human earth) This poem is about the ___(1)___ of all men. The subject of the poem is the ___(2)___ race, despite the difference in colour , caste, creed , religion , country etc. All human beings are same. We walk on the ___(3)___ and we will be buried under it. Each and everyone of us are related to the other . We all are born same and die in the same way. We may wear different uniforms like '___(4)___' , during wars the opposing side will also have the same ___(5)___ like ours. We as human do the same labour with ___(6)___ and look at the world with the ___(7)___. Waging war against others as they belong to a different country is like attacking our own selves. It is the ___(8)___ we impair. We all share the same ___(9)_. We are similar to each other. So the poet concludes that we shouldn't have wars as it is ___(10)___ to fight against us.v

Solution

Filled each blank using the provided word bank so that the completed passage reflects the poem's theme of common humanity:
1. brotherhood — the poem stresses brotherhood of all men.
2. unity of human — refers to the unity of the human race.
3. same land — we walk on and are buried in the same land.
4. language — one of the visible differences (from the word bank) used in the text.
5. breathing body — opposing soldiers are likewise living, breathing bodies.
6. our hands — we use our hands for labour.
7. same eyes — we look at the world with the same eyes.
8. human earth — the earth we share and thereby impair by waging war.
9. dreams and aspirations — we all share similar hopes.
10. unnatural — it is unnatural to fight against our fellow humans.

Answer:

1: H. brotherhood
2: A. unity of human
3: C. same land
4: I. language
5: F. breathing body
6: D. our hands
7: G. same eyes
8: J. human earth
9: B. dreams and aspirations
10: E. unnatural

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