Answer

2.  The poet looks outside the car to distract herself from the painful thought of her mother’s old age. The lively trees and happy children represent youth and life, which contrast with her mother’s weakness.

3. The poet smiles to hide her fear and sadness from her mother. She does not want to make her mother worried. Her words “see you soon” show her hope that they will meet again.

4. The young trees appear active, fresh and full of life, while the poet’s mother is old, pale and weak. This contrast highlights the difference between youth and old age and increases the poet’s fear of separation.

6. The poem shows that ageing is a natural process, but it can create fear and sadness. People may accept ageing, yet they still fear losing their loved ones and facing separation from them.

7. Neruda asks people to remain silent for a short time so that they can stop their busy activities and think peacefully. He wants people to understand themselves, others and the world better.

8.Keeping quiet gives people time to think about their actions, feelings and mistakes. It can help them understand themselves better and make peaceful decisions instead of acting quickly or creating unnecessary conflicts.

9. The poet wants people to stop harming nature because human greed and violence destroy the environment and other living beings. He believes that a peaceful pause can help people understand the importance of protecting nature

10.“Counting up to twelve” means taking a short pause from our busy activities and remaining silent. The poet chooses twelve because it may represent the twelve hours of a clock or the twelve months of a year, suggesting a universal and complete cycle of life.

In My Mother at Sixty-Six, silence expresses the poet’s fear, sadness and helplessness about her mother’s ageing. In Keeping Quiet, silence is a voluntary pause for self-reflection, peace and better understanding of life.