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Urban — Syllabus

ICSE · Class 12 · English- Short Stories : Perspectives and Reflections

What Urban covers in ICSE Class 12 English- Short Stories : Perspectives and Reflections: 4 topics, for the 2026-27 session.

45 questions24 flashcards5 concepts

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4 Topics · ICSE Class 12 English- Short Stories : Perspectives and Reflections · 2026-27

Topics in Urban

1

Poet and Poem Overview

  • Nissim Ezekiel was a pioneering Indian poet, playwright, and critic.
  • He is often regarded as the father of post-independence Indian English poetry.
  • He was born in Bombay to a Bene Israeli Jewish family.
2

Central Idea and Theme

  • The poem shows a man who lives in the city but is mentally and emotionally cut off from nature.
  • The hills are far away, showing separation from peace and natural beauty.
  • The river he claims to love is dry, which creates irony and suggests weak or false connection with nature.
3

Important Lines and Their Meaning

  • The hills are always far away: this suggests distance from nature and tranquillity.
  • He knows the broken roads, and moves in circles tracked within his head: this shows routine, confusion, and mental confinement.
  • Before he wakes and has his say, the river which he claims he loves is dry, and all the winds lie dead: this suggests hollow love for nature and a lifeless world.
4

Poetic Devices and Style

  • The poem uses strong imagery of hills, roads, river, wind, dawn, sun, rain, beach, tree, and stone.
  • The city is personified as something that burns like a passion.
  • The comparison 'The city like a passion burns' is a simile.

Key Concepts

Central concept: Urban by Nissim Ezekiel

PoetThemeCity SymbolismProtagonistImageryKey PhrasesPoetic StyleStructure

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the important topics in Urban for ICSE Class 12 English- Short Stories : Perspectives and Reflections?
Key topics in Urban include Poet and Poem Overview, Central Idea and Theme, Important Lines and Their Meaning, Poetic Devices and Style. Study these first, then practise questions on each for the ICSE Class 12 board exam.
How should I revise Urban for the ICSE Class 12 board exam?
Learn the core ideas first, then work through the 45 practice questions on Urban. Revise definitions regularly and use flashcards for quick recall before the exam.

Sources & Official References

Content is aligned to the official syllabus. Refer to the board website for the latest curriculum.

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