Read the following poem and answer the questions that follow :
Behold her single in the field
Yon solitary Highland lass!
Reaping and singing by herself;
Stop here or gently pass!”
Alone she cuts and binds the grain.
And sings a meloncholy strain;
O listen! for the Vale profound.
Is overflowing with the sound.
Will no one tell me what she sings?
Perhaps the plaintive numbers flow
For old, unhappy, far off things.
And battles long ago;
Or is it some more humble lay.
Familiar matter of today?
Some natural sorrow, loss or pain.
That has been and may be again?
[In this poem, the poet invites the passers-by to turn their attention to a young woman working alone in a field. She is harvesting grain and tying it into bundles and as she does so, she is singing a sad song that fills the valley. The poet advises that people should either stop and listen or pass quietly.]
1. What is the Highland girl doing by herself?
2. ‘Stop here or gently pass! Why does the writer say so?
3. According to the poet, what may be the theme of the girl’s song?
4. What kind of song was being sung by the girl?
5. The Vale profound is overflowing with the sound. Explain.
