Prepare for Class 10 Board English exams with Dust of Snow PYQs (2023 to 2025) and SQP 2025–26. Includes extract, short, long, and competency‑based questions for CBSE Exam practice.
Paper Style:
The literature paper carries 40 marks, including two extract-based questions worth 5 marks each (one from a poem and one from prose), short-answer questions worth 18 marks, and long-answer questions worth 12 marks.
The answers here follow CBSE-prescribed standards and word limits. PYQs from 2025 to 2023 are covered, and if a year is missing, it means no questions were asked that year.
PYQs – ‘Dust of Snow’ Extract Based Questions
Exam Year 2025
“The way a crow
Shook down on me
The dust of snow
From a hemlock tree
Has given my heart
A change of mood”
_______________ Dust of Snow
(i) Fill the blank to complete the sentence. 1
Shaking down of dust of snow gave the speaker a change of heart by ___________.
(ii) How does the interaction between the natural elements (crow, snow, hemlock tree) contribute to the speaker’s emotional transformation in the poem? Answer in about 40 words. 2
(iii) ‘Dust of Snow’ is referred to as: 1
- mist
- dust of branches
- snow residue
- snowflakes
(iv) The crow and the hemlock tree represent ___________. 1
- sorrow
- elation
- hope
- anxiety
- enthusiasm
(A) 1 only
(B) 2, 3 and 5
(C) 4 only
(D) 1, 4 and 5
Answers:
(i) saving the rest of the day from regret.
(ii) A crow shakes snow from a hemlock tree onto the speaker, and this small act of nature lifts his sadness. The cold, fresh snow helps him forget his worries, leaving his mood lighter and more hopeful.
(iii) snow residue
(iv) (D) 1, 4 and 5
Short Answer PYQs
These short-answer questions in the CBSE Board exam have a word limit of around 50 words.
Exam Year 2025
1. ‘Dust of Snow’, by Robert Frost is a poem about nature and simplicity. Elaborate.
Ans: The poem shows how a small act of nature can change a sad mood. A crow shaking snow on the poet makes him feel better. The dust of snow is simple and ordinary. Nature does not do anything big, yet it heals his mind. The poem shows beauty in small moments and simple things.
2. What happened to the poet when a dust of snow fell on him ? (Dust of Snow)
Ans: When the dust of snow fell on the poet, it changed his mood. He felt refreshed and cheerful. His sad thoughts disappeared. The moment saved the rest of his day from being wasted in regret.
3. What changes the mood of the poet in the poem ‘Dust of Snow’ ?
Ans: The poet’s mood changes when a dust of snow falls on him from a tree. The sudden and simple moment refreshes his mind. His sadness fades away. This small incident saves his day from being ruined.
4. In the poem “Dust of Snow”, the hemlock tree’ and the ‘crow’ hold specific meanings. Elaborate on how these symbols are utilized within the context of the poem.
Ans: In Dust of Snow, the hemlock tree and the crow are symbols of sadness and negativity. The hemlock tree is linked with poison, and the crow is often seen as unlucky. But in the poem, they help change the poet’s sad mood into a happy one.
5. ‘Dust of Snow’ highlights the poet’s positive attitude towards nature. Comment on how Robert Frost presents the power of nature in his poem.
Ans: In Dust of Snow, Robert Frost shows that nature has the power to change human feelings. A small act of nature, like the falling of snow, changes his sad mood. It saves his day from being wasted. This shows nature’s strong and positive influence on human life.
Exam Year 2024
1. What mood of the poet is reflected in the poem ‘Dust of Snow’ initially ? What images are used by the poet to bring about the effect ? Comment.
Ans: In the beginning, the poet is in a sad and hopeless mood. He feels that his day has been wasted. The images of the crow and the hemlock tree create a dark and dull effect. These symbols are linked with sadness and make the atmosphere gloomy.
2. How far would you agree that one’s positivity can bring in a spark of brightness even in adverse circumstances?
Ans: I agree that positivity can bring brightness in difficult times. In the poem, a small act of nature changes the poet’s mood. He chooses to feel happy instead of staying sad. This shows that positive thinking can remove negativity and give hope.
3. It is our attitude towards a situation that makes it positive or negative. Do you agree with it ? Express your views with reference to the poem ‘Dust of Snow’.
Ans: Yes, I agree that our attitude makes a situation positive or negative. In the poem, the poet first feels upset. But the falling snow changes his thinking. He feels that his day is saved. This shows that our reaction decides our happiness.
6 – Marks PYQs (Dust of Snow)
In exams, long-answer questions are given with a word limit of around 100 to 120 words.
Exam Year 2025
1. Robert Frost’s view of nature changes when he talks about it positively in ‘Dust of Snow’, but negatively in ‘Fire and Ice’. Justify the statement.
Ans: In Dust of Snow, Robert Frost shows nature in a positive way. A small act of nature changes his sad mood. The falling snow gives him hope and saves his day. Nature becomes a source of joy and healing. But in Fire and Ice, nature is shown as dangerous and destructive. Fire stands for desire and ice stands for hatred. Both can destroy the world. Here, nature is linked with human anger and greed. So, in one poem nature gives life and happiness, while in the other it shows destruction and fear.
2. Examine the role of Nature in the poems ‘The Dust of Snow’ and ‘Fog’.
Ans: In Dust of Snow, nature plays a healing role. The falling snow from the hemlock tree changes the poet’s mood. It removes his sadness and fills him with hope. Nature brings a positive change in his heart. In Fog, nature is shown in the form of fog. The fog comes silently and slowly like a cat. It covers the city and the harbour without any noise. Here, nature is shown as powerful and mysterious. In both poems, nature affects human life in different ways.