The Snail Class 10 English Lesson 8

Complete English Poem, Pronunciation, Bengali meaning, and fully solved Madhyamik Activity Questions for WBBSE Class 10 English (Bliss) Lesson 8.

Amanatulla Mallick
Amanatulla Mallick
Uploaded: 26 February 2025 Last Update: 30 May 2026

Madhyamik 2027 Special Focus

This beautiful poem is highly important for the upcoming WBBSE Madhyamik Examination. Study the line-by-line translations and grammar exercises thoroughly to secure full marks.

Poem Text & Bengali Meaning

To grass, or leaf, or fruit, or wall
The snail sticks close, nor fears to fall
As if he grew there, house and all,
Together.
উচ্চারণ: টু গ্রাস, অর লিফ, অর ফ্রুট, অর ওয়াল
দ্য স্নেইল স্টিকস ক্লোজ, নর ফিয়ারস টু ফল
অ্যাজ ইফ হি গ্রিউ দেয়ার, হাউস অ্যান্ড অল,
টুগেদার।
বাংলা অর্থ:
ঘাস, অথবা পাতা, অথবা ফল, অথবা দেওয়ালে
শামুক শক্ত করে সেঁটে থাকে, আর পড়ে যাওয়ার ভয় পায় না
যেন সে ওখানেই জন্মেছে বা বড় হয়েছে, ঘরবাড়ি সব কিছু নিয়ে
একসাথে।
Within that house secure he hides
When danger imminent betides
Of storm, or other harm besides
Of weather.
উচ্চারণ: উইদিন দ্যাট হাউস সিকিওর হি হাইডস
হোয়েন ডেঞ্জার ইমিনেন্ট বিটাইডস
অফ স্টর্ম, অর আদার হার্ম বিসাইডস
অফ ওয়েদার।
বাংলা অর্থ:
সেই নিরাপদ ঘরের (খোলসের) ভেতরে সে লুকিয়ে থাকে
যখন আসন্ন কোনো বিপদের আগমন ঘটে
ঝড়ের, অথবা অন্য কোনো ক্ষতির
যা আবহাওয়া থেকে হতে পারে।
Give but his horns the slightest touch,
His self-collecting pow'r is such,
He shrinks into his house with much
Displeasure.
উচ্চারণ: গিভ বাট হিজ হর্নস দ্য স্লাইটেস্ট টাচ,
হিজ সেলফ-কালেক্টিং পাউয়ার ইজ সাচ,
হি শ্রিংকস ইনটু হিজ হাউস উইথ মাচ
ডিসপ্লেজার।
বাংলা অর্থ:
তার শুঁড়ে শুধু একটু হালকা ছোঁয়া দাও,
তার নিজেকে গুটিয়ে নেওয়ার ক্ষমতা এতটাই বেশি যে,
সে অনেক বেশি বিরক্তির সাথে তার ঘরের ভেতরে নিজেকে গুটিয়ে নেয়।
Where'er he dwells, he dwells alone,
Except himself has chatells none,
Well satisfied to be his own
Whole treasure.
উচ্চারণ: হোয়্যার'এয়ার হি ডুয়েলস, হি ডুয়েলস অ্যালোন,
একসেপ্ট হিমসেলফ হ্যাজ চ্যাটেলস নান,
ওয়েল স্যাটিসফায়েড টু বি হিজ ওন
হোল ট্রেজার।
বাংলা অর্থ:
সে যেখানেই বাস করে, সে একাই বাস করে,
নিজেকে ছাড়া তার আর কোনো ব্যক্তিগত সম্পত্তি নেই,
সে নিজেই নিজের সম্পূর্ণ সম্পদ হতে পেরে বেশ সন্তুষ্ট।

Word Trove

English WordMeaning in EnglishBengali Meaning
imminentlikely to happen soonআসন্ন / যা খুব শীঘ্রই ঘটতে পারে
betideshappensঘটে / আগমন হয়
chatellspersonal belongingsব্যক্তিগত সম্পত্তি / জিনিসপত্র
self-collectingpower to shrink or gather oneselfনিজেকে গুটিয়ে নেওয়ার ক্ষমতা
shrinkscontracts / becomes smallerগুটিয়ে যায় / সঙ্কুচিত হয়

Comprehension Exercises

Exercise 1 Choose the correct alternative to complete the following sentences:

(a) With the slightest touch, the snail shrinks into its house with - (i) displeasure.

(b) In its house, the snail lives with - (iv) no one.

Exercise 2 State whether the following statements are True or False. Provide sentences/phrases/words in support of your answer:

(a) The snail fears to fall from the wall. False
Supporting Statement: "The snail sticks close, nor fears to fall"

(b) The snail comes out of his house during a storm. False
Supporting Statement: "Within that house secure he hides / When danger imminent betides / Of storm"

Exercise 3 Answer the following questions:

(a) What does the snail usually stick itself to?
Answer: The snail usually sticks itself closely to grass, a leaf, a fruit, or a wall without the fear of falling.

(b) What makes the snail well-satisfied?
Answer: The snail is well-satisfied to live entirely alone, completely self-sufficient, and being its own whole treasure without needing any other personal belongings.

Grammar & Writing Activities

Exercise 4 Change the following sentences into questions, as directed:

(a) Siraj always rises early. (Interrogative sentence using 'does')
Answer: Does Siraj always rise early?

(b) Joyce is the best singer in the class. (Information question using 'who')
Answer: Who is the best singer in the class?

(c) He saw the rainbow. (Interrogative sentence using 'did')
Answer: Did he see the rainbow?

(d) I go to school by bus. (Information question using 'how')
Answer: How do you go to school?

Exercise 5 Write a letter (within 100 words) to the editor of an English daily about the disturbances caused by the thoughtless use of loudspeakers:

To,
The Editor,
The Statesman,
4, Chowringhee Square,
Kolkata - 700001.

Sub: Disturbances caused by the thoughtless use of loudspeakers.

Sir,

Through the columns of your esteemed daily, I wish to draw the attention of the concerned authorities towards the growing menace of the thoughtless and indiscriminate use of loudspeakers in our locality. Nowadays, playing loudspeakers at a deafening volume during festivals, local political rallies, and private functions has become a very common practice.

This blatant noise pollution creates a severe nuisance. It brutally hampers the concentration of students preparing for their board examinations and greatly aggravates the suffering of the sick and elderly people.

Therefore, I earnestly request the local administration to take strict measures to curb this nuisance immediately and enforce the existing noise pollution rules.

Thanking you,

Yours faithfully,
Ayan Sharma
Burdwan, 713101.

Date: 15th April, 2026

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The Snail (Madhyamik Class 10) - FAQs

The poem beautifully highlights the self-sufficient, private, and secure world of a snail. It describes how the snail lives independently, carrying its house on its back, completely satisfied with its lonely but safe existence.

If the snail's horns are given even the slightest touch, it uses its immense 'self-collecting power' to instantly shrink and hide back into its house (shell) with much displeasure.

The snail sticks so closely and firmly to grass, leaf, fruit, or wall that it feels completely secure. It acts as if it grew there together with its house, completely eliminating the fear of falling.

The poem 'The Snail' is written by William Cowper, a very popular 18th-century English poet known for writing about nature and the everyday lives of people in the English countryside.