The News

Here is The News:

‘Two incredible (অবিশ্বাস্য) shoes 

Two incredible shoes

That’s The News.

এই নাও আজকের খবর:

দুটি অবিশ্বাস্য জুতো

দুটি অবিশ্বাস্য জুতো

এই হলো খবর।

Word Meaning: 

• incredible অবিশ্বাস্য unbelievable, amazing

Paraphrase:

The news is about two very amazing shoes. They are so special that they become news.

Explanation / Analysis for Exam (পরীক্ষার জন্য গুরুত্বপূর্ণ):

The poem begins like a news report. Nothing serious is happening—only shoes are in the news. Yet they are presented in such an attractive way that the ordinary shoes become the subject of a news.

When it rains

They walk down drains (নর্দমা).

They glow (জ্বলে ওঠে)

in the snow (তুষার).

যখন বৃষ্টি হয়

তারা নর্দমার ভেতর দিয়ে হাঁটে।

তারা জ্বলে ওঠে

তুষারের ভেতর।

Word Meaning: 

• drains নর্দমা, জলনিষ্কাশন নালী water channels under the street
• glow জ্বলে ওঠা, আলো ছড়ানো shine with light

Paraphrase:

When it rains, the shoes walk down water and drains. When there is snow, the shoes shine brightly.

Explanation / Analysis for Exam (পরীক্ষার জন্য গুরুত্বপূর্ণ):

The shoes seem magical and alive. They walk and move like human beings. But shoes cannot really walk or glow. This is personification.

They grizzle (গোমড়া মুখ করে থাকে)

in a drizzle (হালকা বৃষ্টি).

They sneeze (হাঁচি দেয়)

in a breeze.

They sneeze

in a breeze.

তারা কষ্ট পায়/গোমড়া মুখ করে থাকে

হালকা বৃষ্টিতে।

তারা হাঁচি দেয়

হালকা বাতাসে।

তারা আবার হাঁচি দেয়

হালকা বাতাসে।

Word Meaning: 

• grizzle গোমড়া মুখ করা / কষ্ট পাওয়া look unhappy or complain softly
• drizzle হালকা বৃষ্টি light rain
• breeze হালকা বাতাস soft gentle wind

Paraphrase:

In light rain, the shoes complain softly. When there is a gentle wind, the shoes sneeze again and again.

Explanation / Analysis for Exam (পরীক্ষার জন্য গুরুত্বপূর্ণ):

Grizzling and sneezing are human actions. The poet makes the shoes seem playful like humans. This makes the shoes magical and funny.

They get warm (গরম হয়ে যায়)

in a storm (ঝড়).

They go soggy (ভিজে নরম )

When it is foggy (কুয়াশা).

They’ve even hissed (হিস হিস শব্দও করেছে)

in a mist (হালকা ধোঁয়াটে কুয়াশায়).

তারা গরম হয়ে যায়

ঝড়ের মধ্যে।

তারা ভিজে নরম হয়ে যায়

যখন কুয়াশা পড়ে।

তারা এমনকি হিস হিস শব্দও করেছে

হালকা ধোঁয়াটে কুয়াশায়।

Word Meaning: 

• soggy ভেজা, নরম wet and soft
• foggy কুয়াশাচ্ছন্ন full of fog
• hissed হিস হিস শব্দ করা made a soft sharp sound
• mist হালকা কুয়াশা light fog

Paraphrase:

During storms, the shoes feel warm. In foggy weather, they become wet and soft. They even make a hissing sound in mist.

Explanation / Analysis for Exam (পরীক্ষার জন্য গুরুত্বপূর্ণ):

The shoes react to every kind of weather. Words like storm, fog, and mist create strong pictures. Again, shoes are treated like living beings. The poet uses sound words to make the poem lively.

But (sad to say)

There comes a terrible (ভয়ানক) frost (তুষারপাত).

This is what happened (ঘটেছিল):

They got lost (হারিয়ে গেল).

কিন্তু দুঃখের কথা হলো

এক ভয়ানক তুষারপাত এলো।

ঘটেছিল এই—

তারা হারিয়ে গেল।

Word Meaning: 

• frost জমে যাওয়া ঠান্ডা, তুষারপাত frozen dew or ice
• lost হারিয়ে গেছে disappeared, not found

Paraphrase:

Sadly, very cold weather arrives. Because of the frost, the shoes are lost.

Explanation / Analysis for Exam (পরীক্ষার জন্য গুরুত্বপূর্ণ):

The mood changes here. The words sad and terrible show trouble. The poem moves from fun to loss. This small problem feels serious like real news.

‘Two incredible (অবিশ্বাস্য) shoes

Two incredible shoes

That was The News.

এই ছিল খবর:

দুটি অবিশ্বাস্য জুতো

দুটি অবিশ্বাস্য জুতো

এই ছিল খবর।

Word Meaning: 

• incredible অবিশ্বাস্য unbelievable, amazing

Paraphrase:

The news ends by reminding us again about the two amazing shoes.

Explanation / Analysis for Exam (পরীক্ষার জন্য গুরুত্বপূর্ণ):

The poem ends the same way it began. This gives the poem a circular structure. The repetition makes it sound like a news report. The poet shows that even small, funny things can become news.

Short Answer Practice for Students

1. Central theme:

The central theme of the poem is playful imagination. The poet presents a funny news report about two incredible shoes that behave like living beings in different kinds of weather.

2. Message of the poem:

The poem gives the message that imagination can make ordinary things interesting and funny. A simple pair of shoes becomes special through the poet’s playful imagination.

3. Incredible shoes:

The shoes are called “incredible” because they do unusual and funny things. They walk, glow, grizzle, sneeze, get warm, become soggy and even hiss.

4. Shoes as living beings:

The poet gives the shoes human-like actions. They sneeze in a breeze and get lost in the frost, so they seem like living characters.

5. In the rain:

When it rains, the shoes walk down drains. This is a funny and imaginative picture.

6. In the snow:

In the snow, the shoes glow. This makes the shoes seem magical and surprising.

7. In a drizzle:

In a drizzle, the shoes grizzle. “Grizzle” suggests that the shoes complain or make a sad sound in light rain.

8. In a breeze:

In a breeze, the shoes sneeze. This is funny because shoes cannot really sneeze like people.

9. In a storm:

In a storm, the shoes get warm. This is unexpected and humorous because storms are usually cold or rough.

10. In foggy weather:

When it is foggy, the shoes go soggy. This means they become wet and soft because of the damp weather.

11. In a mist:

In a mist, the shoes hiss. This is another playful action that makes the shoes seem alive.

12. In the frost:

When a terrible frost comes, the shoes get lost. This is the sad and surprising ending of the news.

13. “Sad to say”:

The poet says “sad to say” because something unfortunate happens to the shoes. After many funny adventures, the shoes are lost in the frost.

14. Humour in the poem:

The poem creates humour by giving silly actions to shoes. The rhyming words like rains-drains, snow-glow, breeze-sneeze and foggy-soggy also make it funny.

15. Repetition:

The repetition of “Two incredible shoes” and “That’s The News” makes the poem sound like a news broadcast. It also makes the poem rhythmic and enjoyable.

16. Weather in the poem:

The poem mentions rain, snow, drizzle, breeze, storm, fog, mist and frost. These weather conditions create different funny actions for the shoes.

17. Imagination:

The poem shows that imagination can turn an ordinary object into something magical. The poet imagines shoes doing impossible things.

18. Lesson from the poem:

The poem teaches us to enjoy imagination and humour. It shows that poetry can make even simple things playful, funny and interesting.

Model Answers

1. What is the central theme of the poem “The News”?

The central theme of the poem is fun and imagination. The poet tells funny news about two special shoes.

2. What message does Michael Rosen convey through the poem “The News”?

Michael Rosen shows that imagination can make simple things funny. Even a pair of shoes can become interesting in a poem.

3. Why are the shoes called “incredible” in the poem?

The shoes are called incredible because they do many strange things. They walk, glow, sneeze, hiss and get lost.

4. How does the poet make the shoes seem alive?

The poet gives the shoes actions like living things. They walk, sneeze and hiss like people or animals.

5. What happens to the shoes when it rains?

When it rains, the shoes walk down drains. This is a funny and strange action.

6. What do the shoes do in the snow?

The shoes glow in the snow. This makes them seem special and magical.

7. What happens to the shoes in a drizzle?

The shoes grizzle in a drizzle. It means they seem to complain or make a sad sound.

8. What do the shoes do in a breeze?

The shoes sneeze in a breeze. This is funny because shoes cannot really sneeze.

9. What happens to the shoes in a storm?

The shoes get warm in a storm. This is strange because storms are usually cold and rough.

10. What happens to the shoes when it is foggy?

The shoes go soggy when it is foggy. It means they become wet and soft.

11. What did the shoes do in a mist?

The shoes hissed in a mist. This makes the shoes seem like living things.

12. What terrible thing happened in the frost?

A terrible frost came. Then the two incredible shoes got lost.

13. Why does the poet say “sad to say”?

The poet says “sad to say” because something bad happens. The shoes get lost in the frost.

14. How does the poem create humour?

The poem creates humour by showing shoes doing impossible things. The rhyming words also make the poem funny.

15. How does repetition make the poem enjoyable?

The poet repeats “Two incredible shoes” and “The News.” This makes the poem sound musical and easy to remember.

16. What does the poem teach us about imagination?

The poem teaches us that imagination can make ordinary things special. A simple pair of shoes can become funny and magical.

17. How is the poem like a news report?

The poem begins with “Here is The News” and ends with “That was The News.” So it sounds like a funny news report.

18. What lesson can you learn from the poem “The News”?

We learn that poetry can be full of fun and imagination. We can enjoy simple things in a new way.