Extra Notes for Class 5 English Chapter 3 The Rainbow (Santoor Textbook)
Here’s the Summary, New Words, Moral Lesson, Grammar, Vocabulary, and Reading Comprehension + Paragraph Writing Practice for Class 5 English Chapter 3 : “The Rainbow”
The Rainbow — Notes
1. Summary / What the Poem Says
- In the first stanza, the poet talks about boats sailing on rivers and ships sailing on seas. But she says the clouds that sail across the sky are far prettier than those boats and ships.
- In the second stanza, she mentions bridges built over rivers, which are quite beautiful. However, she says there is a more beautiful “bridge” — the rainbow, which “bridges heaven,” rises above trees, and looks like a road connecting earth to sky. She says this rainbow is more splendid than any man-made bridge.
2. New / Important Words & Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Sail | To move on water using wind or engines |
| Rivers | Natural flowing watercourses |
| Ships | Large boats, often in seas or oceans |
| Clouds | White or gray masses floating in sky |
| Bridges | Structures built to cross over rivers, roads, etc. |
| Bow | An arch shape (here, the rainbow) |
| Overtops | To rise above or be higher than something |
| Earth | The ground / planet where we live |
| Heaven | The sky or space above us |
| Prettier | More beautiful than something else |
3. Central Idea / Theme
- Nature is more beautiful than human-made things.
- The poem encourages us to see beauty in the ordinary — in clouds, skies, rainbows.
- Imagination: looking at a rainbow as a bridge from earth to sky.
4. Moral / Message
- Appreciate natural beauty.
- Do not always compare with what people build — nature often surpasses human creations.
- Use imagination and wonder in everyday life.
The Rainbow – Stanza Wise Summary
Here is the stanza-wise summary of the Class 5 English Santoor Poem – “The Rainbow”
Stanza 1
Lines:
“Boats sail on the rivers,
And ships sail on the seas;
But clouds that sail across the sky
Are prettier than these.”
Summary:
In this stanza, the poet compares boats that sail on rivers and ships that sail on seas with clouds floating in the sky.
She says that although boats and ships are beautiful, clouds are much prettier. The poet is amazed by the beauty of the clouds sailing freely and gracefully above us.
Stanza 2
Lines:
“There are bridges on the rivers,
As pretty as you please;
But the bow that bridges heaven,
And overtops the trees,
And builds a road from earth to sky,
Is prettier far than these.”
Summary:
In the second stanza, the poet talks about bridges built over rivers, which look very pretty and useful.
But she says that there is something even more beautiful than man-made bridges — the rainbow.
The rainbow looks like a magical bridge that joins the earth and the sky, rising above the trees.
To the poet, this natural bridge is the most beautiful of all, much prettier than anything humans can build.
Overall Meaning of the Poem
The poem beautifully contrasts man-made creations like boats and bridges with natural wonders like clouds and the rainbow.
The poet reminds us that while human efforts are admirable, nature’s beauty and creativity are unmatched
The Rainbow – Stanza-wise Questions and Answers
Here are the stanza-wise Questions & Answers (5 Question for each stanza) for the Class 5 English Santoor Poem – “The Rainbow”
Stanza 1
Lines:
“Boats sail on the rivers,
And ships sail on the seas;
But clouds that sail across the sky
Are prettier than these.”
Q1. What things are said to sail on rivers and seas?
Ans: Boats sail on rivers, and ships sail on seas.
Q2. What moves across the sky according to the poet?
Ans: Clouds sail or move across the sky.
Q3. What comparison does the poet make between clouds and boats or ships?
Ans: The poet says that clouds are prettier than boats or ships.
Q4. Why does the poet think clouds are prettier?
Ans: Because clouds move gracefully across the sky and appear more natural and beautiful than man-made boats and ships.
Q5. What does this stanza show about the poet’s feelings?
Ans: The poet admires the beauty of nature and finds it more attractive than human creations.
Stanza 2
Lines:
“There are bridges on the rivers,
As pretty as you please;
But the bow that bridges heaven,
And overtops the trees,
And builds a road from earth to sky,
Is prettier far than these.”
Q1. What kind of bridges is the poet talking about first?
Ans: The poet first talks about man-made bridges built over rivers.
Q2. What is the “bow” that bridges heaven in the poem?
Ans: The “bow” refers to the rainbow that appears in the sky after rain.
Q3. How does the poet describe the rainbow?
Ans: The poet says the rainbow rises above the trees and looks like a road connecting the earth to the sky.
Q4. What comparison does the poet make between bridges and the rainbow?
Ans: The poet feels that the rainbow is far prettier than any man-made bridge.
Q5. What idea does the poet want to express in this stanza?
Ans: The poet wants to show that nature’s beauty — like the rainbow — is more wonderful and magnificent than anything humans can create.
Overall Understanding
| Concept | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Main Theme | Nature’s beauty is superior to man-made objects. |
| Tone | Wonder, admiration, and appreciation of nature. |
| Moral | Appreciate natural beauty and see joy in simple things. |
| Poetic Device | Simile and comparison (between boats/ships and clouds, bridges and rainbow). |
| Message | Nature is a masterpiece that no human invention can outshine. |