Three Days to See — Class 7 English Poorvi Questions and Answers

Three Days to See questions and answers for Class 7 Poorvi explain Helen Keller’s imagined plan, sensory language and modal verbs. Find textbook reading answers, a transcript-based listening key and adaptable speaking and writing examples.

Class: 7 Subject: English Book: Poorvi Unit: 1 – Learning Together Type: Prose (Helen Keller) Source copy: Reprint 2026–27

Source: NCERT Poorvi, Grade 7, Unit 1, printed pages 28–38 (listening transcript 41–42); supplied reprint 2026–27. Open-ended and personal responses are examples to adapt. These explanations are study support, not an official NCERT answer key.

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About the chapter

“Three Days to See” is a moving first-person prose extract from Unit 1, ‘Learning Together’. In it, Helen Keller, who was blind and deaf, imagines what she would most like to do if she were given the gift of sight for just three short days. She would spend the first day looking at the faces of the people she loves, the second day watching the dawn and visiting museums to see the history of the earth, and the third day exploring the busy, everyday life of the city. Through her wish, she gently reminds those who can see, hear, touch, smell and taste to value and make full use of each precious sense.

About the author

NCERT credits this first-person extract to Helen Keller. The narrator describes experiencing nature through touch and imagines three days of sight. Her plan is hypothetical; the extract does not say that she actually regained sight for three days.

Summary

In this extract, Helen Keller, who cannot see, describes how she finds hundreds of joys through the sense of touch. She feels the delicate shape of a leaf, the smooth bark of a silver birch and the rough bark of a pine; in spring she searches the branches for the first bud, and is overjoyed when she feels the happy quiver of a singing bird. Yet her heart longs to see all these things, for she believes that if touch gives so much pleasure, sight must reveal far greater beauty.

She then imagines having sight for just three days, and divides the time into three parts. On the first day, she would look at the faces of the friends whose kindness and companionship have made her life worth living – people she now ‘sees’ only through her fingertips. On the second day, she would rise with the dawn to watch night turn into day and the sun awaken the earth. That day she would visit museums to see the history of the world – the animals, the early races of men and the giant dinosaurs and mastodons that lived long before human beings appeared.

On the third day, she would spend her time in the ordinary, busy world of the city. Standing at a crowded street corner, she would watch people and try to understand their daily lives, sharing their happiness, pride and suffering. At midnight, she knows, darkness would close in on her once more, and only then would she realise how much she had left unseen. She ends with a gentle piece of advice: use your eyes, ears and other senses as if you would lose them tomorrow, and glory in all the beauty the world offers – for of all the senses, she is sure that sight is the most delightful.

Theme & message

The central theme is the value of our senses and the importance of appreciating life’s everyday wonders. Helen Keller, who lived without sight and hearing, shows us how much beauty surrounds us – beauty we often ignore because we take our senses for granted. Her message is clear and timeless: make the most of every sense, every day, as if you might lose it tomorrow. The lesson also teaches gratitude, hope and respect for people with disabilities, who experience the world in remarkable and courageous ways.

Word meanings

WordEnglish meaningHindi meaning
symmetrybalanced, even shape or arrangementसममिति / समरूपता
bircha slender tree with thin, peeling barkभोजपत्र (एक पेड़)
shaggyrough and hairyरूखा-सूखा / झबरा
quivera slight shiver or trembleकंपन / थर्राहट
longinga strong desire or wishतीव्र इच्छा / ललक
beholdto see or look atदेखना / निहारना
panoramaa wide, complete view of a sceneविस्तृत दृश्य / नज़ारा
awea feeling of wonder mixed with respectश्रद्धामिश्रित विस्मय
glimpsea brief or quick lookझलक / एक नज़र
pageanta grand display or showभव्य प्रदर्शन
condensedmade short and briefसंक्षिप्त / संक्षेप में
carcassesthe dead bodies or remains of animalsशव / अवशेष
mastodonslarge extinct animals like furry elephantsमैस्टोडॉन (हाथी जैसा विलुप्त प्राणी)
statureheight or build of the bodyकद-काठी / शारीरिक आकार
hauntsplaces one visits oftenआना-जाने की जगहें
merelyonly; simply; justमात्र / केवल
strainstunes or pieces of musicसंगीत की धुनें / स्वर
tactile sensethe sense of touchस्पर्श की शक्ति
morsela small piece of foodनिवाला / ग्रास
facetsdifferent aspects or sides of somethingपहलू / आयाम
relishgreat enjoyment or delightबड़े चाव / आनंद

Let us discuss

I. True statements: 3, 4, 6 and 7. Statements 1, 2 and 5 are false: she imagines sight, wants to observe a range of city experiences, and does not say touch gives everyone the greatest joy.

II. Her three-day plan

DayWhat she would seePriority
1People whose kindness and companionship enrich her life; friends’ faces and eyes.Relationships
2Dawn and the changing light; museums showing the earth’s past and human progress.Nature and knowledge
3Everyday city life; people’s smiles, determination and suffering.Understanding others

Feeling friends’ faces is how she already recognises them; it is not a new activity made possible by sight.

III. Feelings: Through touch, she recognises facial outlines and expressions such as laughter and sorrow. The eye as a window to the soul is figurative language, not a literal medical claim.

Let us think and reflect

I.1. Extract – “I feel the delicate symmetry of a leaf. I pass my hands lovingly about the smooth skin of a silver birch, or the rough, shaggy bark of a pine. In spring, I touch the branches of trees hopefully in search of a bud, the first sign of awakening Nature after her winter’s sleep. Occasionally, I am very fortunate; I place my hand gently on a small tree and feel the happy quiver of a bird in full song.”

ANSWER (i) What does the ‘delicate symmetry of a leaf’ symbolise? – It symbolises the perfect, balanced beauty and the fine, careful design found in nature, which the author can sense even through touch. (ii) Two phrases that describe the texture of objects in nature: “the smooth skin of a silver birch” and “the rough, shaggy bark of a pine”. (iii) The phrase ‘awakening Nature after her winter’s sleep’ refers to the arrival of spring, when plants and trees begin to grow new buds and life returns after the cold, lifeless months of winter. (iv) The tone of the writer in this extract is C. admiring.

I.2. Extract – “The next day I should arise with the dawn and see the thrilling miracle by which night is transformed into day. I should behold with awe the magnificent panorama of light with which the sun awakens the sleeping earth. This day I should devote to a hasty glimpse of the world, past and present. I should want to see the pageant of man’s progress, and so I should go to the museums.”

ANSWER (i) The word that does not match with ‘thrilling’ is C. knowledge (we say a thrilling experience, tale or adventure, but not a ‘thrilling knowledge’). (ii) The writer refers to the earth as ‘sleeping earth’ because before sunrise the world is dark, still and quiet, as if it is asleep; the rising sun then ‘awakens’ it with light and life. (iii) The writer wishes to dedicate the day to a brief look at the present and past world because she wants to understand how the earth and humankind have developed over time – the long history of animals, early human beings and their progress – in the short time she has. (iv) The writer uses ‘should’ multiple times to express her imagined wishes and intentions – what she would choose to do if she were given sight. It shows that these are her hopeful plans for an imaginary situation, not real events.

II. Answer the following questions.

ANSWER 1. The sense of touch makes up for the loss of sight and hearing. Explain this statement with reference to the text. Although Helen Keller cannot see or hear, her sense of touch brings her hundreds of joys. Through her fingertips she feels the delicate shape of a leaf, the smooth bark of a birch and the rough bark of a pine; she searches for the first bud of spring and feels the happy quiver of a singing bird. She even recognises her friends and reads their emotions by touching their faces. Thus, touch partly makes up for what her eyes and ears cannot do. 2. Why does the author believe that the sense of sight is the most wonderful? The author believes sight is the most wonderful because, even though touch gives her great pleasure, she feels that seeing would reveal far more beauty. Sight would let her look into the faces of loved ones, watch the dawn, see the history of the world and observe people’s lives – experiences that touch alone cannot fully give. So she is sure that of all the senses, sight must be the most delightful. 3. How might the author’s opinion on making the most of our senses guide us to be kinder towards people with disabilities? Helen Keller shows us how richly a person can experience and value the world even without sight and hearing. This teaches us to admire the courage and ability of people with disabilities rather than pity them. It reminds us not to take our own senses for granted, to be patient, respectful and helpful, and to appreciate that everyone perceives the world in their own valuable way. 4. What is the significance of imagining the loss of a sense, according to the author? According to the author, imagining the loss of a sense helps us realise how precious it is. She advises us to use our eyes as if we would be blind tomorrow, and to hear, touch, smell and taste as if we might lose those senses too. This imagined loss makes us truly notice and treasure the beauty around us, instead of taking it for granted. 5. How does the author encourage people to approach their everyday sensory experiences? The author encourages people to make the most of every sense each day. She urges them to really look, listen, touch, smell and taste – to glory in all the facets of pleasure and beauty that Nature offers – as though tomorrow these senses might fail. In short, she asks us to live attentively and gratefully, fully enjoying every ordinary experience. 6. What do the author’s choices for the three days tell us about her values and priorities? Her choices show that she values human relationships, knowledge and ordinary life above all. On the first day she chooses her loved ones, showing that friendship and kindness matter most to her. On the second she seeks the beauty of nature and the history of the world, showing her love of learning. On the third she turns to everyday people, showing her warmth and interest in human life. Her priorities are love, understanding and gratitude.

Let us learn

I. Sensory words table

I. Complete the table with sensory words from the text in Column 2 for the five senses in Column 1. Add new words in Column 3.

Sense (Column 1)From the text (Column 2)New words (Column 3 – sample)
What you seepanorama (also: glimpse, behold)bright, glowing, colourful
What you hearmusic (also: song, strains)loud, melodious, whisper
What you smellperfumefragrant, sweet, fresh
What you tasterelish (also: morsel)sweet, sour, spicy
What you feelrough (also: smooth, shaggy, delicate)soft, warm, silky

II. Underline the verbs (modal + main verb)

II. Read the following sentences from the text and underline the verbs.

ANSWER • I should divide the period into three parts. – modal verb should + main verb divide. • On the first day, I should want to see… – modal verb should + main verb want. • The next day I should arise with the dawn… – modal verb should + main verb arise. • I should behold with awe… – modal verb should + main verb behold. (In each sentence ‘should’ is the modal verb expressing a imagined intention (the textbook labels it “suggestion”), and the second word is the main verb.)

III. Identify the modal verbs and their functions

III. Identify the modal verbs in the following sentences. Choose the functions they express from those given in the box (possibility, necessity, polite request, ability, moral obligation).

ANSWER 1. You can learn a lot from this experience. → ability 2. They might arrive late due to traffic. → possibility 3. She must finish her homework before dinner. → necessity 4. They ought to apologise for their mistake. → moral obligation 5. He would like to have some lassi, please. → polite request

IV. Fill in the blanks with modal verbs

IV. Read the situations and functions, and fill in the blanks in Column 4 with appropriate modal verbs.

ANSWER (sample – other suitable modals are also accepted) (i) Permission – May / Could I leave early today if I finish all my tasks? (ii) Obligation – I must finish this report by tomorrow. (iii) Advice – You should consider all the pros and cons before making a decision. (iv) Possibility – It might / may rain later today. (v) Polite request – Could / Would / Will you pass the salt, please? (vi) Moral obligation – You ought to / should apologise for the mistake you made. (vii) Suggestion – We shall / can go to any park nearby for picnic.

Listening, speaking, writing and exploration

Let us listen — p. 36; transcript pp. 41–42

The best-supported four true statements are 3, 4, 6 and 7. Anuj initially equates Digital India with computer literacy; his mother explains screen readers and independence. He asks about their effect and learns new information. Statements 2 and 5 contradict the dialogue. Statement 1 adds a desire to learn more about Braille that is not explicitly stated; his questions focus on Digital India and screen readers. The final mindset sentence is the transcript’s concluding message.

Let us speak — p. 36

Sample: I value hearing because it helps me enjoy music and follow conversations. I especially like the sound of rain on leaves. I would need different ways to communicate if I lost hearing. This makes me appreciate both my experiences and the importance of accessible communication. Adapt this to a sense you value, and avoid assuming that a person with a sensory disability cannot have a rich life.

Let us write — p. 37: sample paragraph

A Morning at the Lakeside

The lake shone like a silver sheet beneath the morning sun. Green reeds swayed at its edge, and ducks left narrow ripples behind them. I heard soft splashes and distant voices. Damp earth scented the cool air. A warm snack tasted spicy after our walk, and the smooth railing felt cold under my hand. The quiet water and lively birds made the place memorable. I left wanting to return and notice more of its small details.

This is an invented example. Describe a place you actually visited and details you noticed; do not claim unexperienced sensations.

Let us explore — pp. 37–38

I. Braille: Use the textbook chart to arrange your own name as raised dots. In reading view, a six-dot cell has positions 1–2–3 down the left and 4–5–6 down the right. Lowercase a uses dot 1, b uses 1 and 2, and c uses 1 and 4. The diagram below illustrates these examples. A visual image cannot replace tactile Braille.

Braille reading-view cell positions: 1 2 3 left, 4 5 6 right; a dot 1, b dots 1 and 2, c dots 1 and 4
Original visual teaching diagram checked against the textbook chart. Dark dots represent raised positions; real Braille is read by touch. These lowercase examples omit capital signs.

Open the Braille diagram at full size. Its dot patterns are also explained in the paragraph above.

II. The International Day of Persons with Disabilities is observed on 3 December. For the India-specific activity, research a real local or national event and record its organiser, date and source; do not invent participation or a current annual theme.

III. Study the NCERT Indian Sign Language resource linked in the textbook. Sign language is a language for communication; Braille is a tactile writing code. They serve different purposes.

Additional ClearStudy questions

This practice is separate from the printed textbook exercises.

Short answer (30–40 words)

1. What things in nature does Helen Keller enjoy through her sense of touch?

ANSWERShe enjoys feeling the delicate symmetry of a leaf, the smooth bark of a silver birch and the rough bark of a pine. In spring she searches for the first bud, and she delights in feeling the happy quiver of a bird in full song.

2. How would Helen Keller spend the first of her three days of sight?

ANSWEROn the first day she would look at the people whose kindness and companionship have made her life worth living. She would gaze into the faces of her dear friends, whom until then she had only ‘seen’ through her fingertips.

3. Why would Helen Keller visit the museums on the second day?

ANSWERShe would visit the museums to see the condensed history of the earth – the animals and early races of men in their natural surroundings, and the huge dinosaurs and mastodons that lived long before human beings appeared on earth.

4. What would Helen Keller do at a busy street corner on the third day?

ANSWERShe would simply stand and watch people, trying to understand their daily lives through sight. When she saw smiles she would feel happy, when she saw determination she would feel proud, and when she saw suffering she would feel compassion.

5. What advice does Helen Keller give to those who can see?

ANSWERShe advises them to use their eyes as if they would become blind tomorrow, and to hear, touch, smell and taste as if they might lose those senses too. In this way they will truly value and enjoy every moment of beauty around them.

Long answer (100–120 words)

6. Describe how Helen Keller plans to spend her imagined three days of sight and what each day reveals about her.

ANSWERHelen Keller divides her imagined three days of sight into three meaningful parts. On the first day she would look at the faces of her loved ones, for friendship and kindness mean the most to her. On the second day she would rise with the dawn to watch the sun awaken the earth, then visit museums to learn the history of the world – showing her love of nature and knowledge. On the third day she would mingle with ordinary people in the busy city, sharing their joys and sorrows, showing her warmth and interest in human life. Her plan reveals a woman who values love, learning and humanity, and who deeply treasures the beauty most people ignore.

7. How does ‘Three Days to See’ teach us to value our senses and live gratefully?

ANSWERThough blind and deaf, Helen Keller experiences the world with wonder through touch, finding joy in a leaf, a bud or a singing bird. Her longing to see for just three days makes us realise how much beauty we ignore because we take our senses for granted. She urges us to use our eyes, ears and other senses as if we would lose them tomorrow, glorying in every sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. The lesson teaches gratitude, attentiveness and hope. It reminds us that true richness lies not in having everything, but in fully appreciating the gifts we already possess each ordinary day.

ClearStudy MCQs and assertion–reason practice

1. Through which sense does Helen Keller mainly experience the world?

(a) sight   (b) hearing   (c) touch   (d) taste

ANSWER(c) touch.

2. Into how many parts does the author divide her three days?

(a) two   (b) three   (c) four   (d) five

ANSWER(b) three.

3. Whom would the author wish to see on the first day?

(a) famous people   (b) strangers   (c) the people whose kindness made her life worth living   (d) her doctors

ANSWER(c) the people whose kindness made her life worth living.

4. What does the author call the eye?

(a) the gift of life   (b) the window of the soul   (c) the mirror of nature   (d) the light of the world

ANSWER(b) the window of the soul.

5. Where would the author go on the second day to see the history of the earth?

(a) the library   (b) the museums   (c) the seashore   (d) the mountains

ANSWER(b) the museums.

6. Which ancient animals does the author wish to see in the museum?

(a) lions and tigers   (b) dinosaurs and mastodons   (c) horses and elephants   (d) whales and sharks

ANSWER(b) dinosaurs and mastodons.

7. How would the author spend the third day?

(a) resting at home   (b) in the workaday world of the city   (c) at the seaside   (d) in a forest

ANSWER(b) in the workaday world of the city.

8. When she sees suffering, the author says she feels …

(a) proud   (b) happy   (c) compassionate   (d) afraid

ANSWER(c) compassionate.

9. What hint does the author give to those who can see?

(a) to read more books   (b) to use their eyes as if they would be blind tomorrow   (c) to travel widely   (d) to rest their eyes often

ANSWER(b) to use their eyes as if they would be blind tomorrow.

10. According to the author, which is the most delightful of all the senses?

(a) hearing   (b) touch   (c) sight   (d) smell

ANSWER(c) sight.
MCQ Answer Key: 1-(c), 2-(b), 3-(c), 4-(b), 5-(b), 6-(b), 7-(b), 8-(c), 9-(b), 10-(c)

Assertion–Reason – choose: (a) A and R true, R explains A; (b) A and R true, R does not explain A; (c) A true, R false; (d) A false, R true.

1. Assertion (A): Helen Keller finds great pleasure in nature even though she cannot see.

Reason (R): Her sense of touch lets her feel leaves, bark and the quiver of a singing bird.

ANSWER(a) Both true and R correctly explains A.

2. Assertion (A): The author would spend her first day of sight looking at her dear friends.

Reason (R): She wants to look into the faces of those whose kindness and companionship have made her life worth living.

ANSWER(a) Both true and R correctly explains A.

3. Assertion (A): The author believes that touch is the most delightful of all the senses.

Reason (R): She gets hundreds of pleasures from touch alone.

ANSWER(d) A is false – she believes sight is the most delightful sense – while R is true.

4. Assertion (A): The author advises people to use their senses as if they might lose them tomorrow.

Reason (R): Imagining the loss of a sense helps people truly value and enjoy it.

ANSWER(a) Both true and R correctly explains A.

5. Assertion (A): The author knows she would not be able to see everything in just three days.

Reason (R): She says only when darkness descended again would she realise how much she had left unseen.

ANSWER(a) Both true and R correctly explains A.

Exam tips & common mistakes

Exam tips

• Remember the plan clearly: Day 1 = loved ones’ faces, Day 2 = dawn + museums (history), Day 3 = city + everyday people. Use this sequence when explaining her priorities.
• Mention the author where relevant (Helen Keller) and mention that she was blind and deaf in long answers.
• Quote her key advice – “use your eyes as if tomorrow you would be stricken blind” – in value-based questions.
• For theme questions, link her message to gratitude, appreciating our senses and respecting people with disabilities.

Common mistakes

• Do not write that the author longs most for hearing – her deepest longing is for sight.
• Do not confuse the days: she visits the museums on Day 2, not Day 3.
• She finds great joy in touch, but does not say touch gives the greatest joy – she says sight would be the most delightful.
• ‘Window of the soul’ refers to the eye, not the heart – read such phrases carefully.

FAQs

Who wrote ‘Three Days to See’ and what is special about the author?

It was written by Helen Keller, an American author and activist who was both blind and deaf, yet became a highly educated and inspiring writer and speaker.

What is the main message of ‘Three Days to See’?

The lesson teaches us to value our senses and appreciate the beauty around us – to use our eyes, ears and other senses as if we might lose them tomorrow.

How does Helen Keller plan to use her three days of sight?

On the first day she would see her loved ones, on the second she would watch the dawn and visit museums, and on the third she would observe everyday people in the city.

Why does the author call the eye the ‘window of the soul’?

Because she believes that looking into a person’s eyes lets one see their true inner self – their feelings and character – something she can only sense through touch.

Textbook-based exercises and additional ClearStudy practice are identified separately. Use your textbook alongside these explanations.

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