Question

A1. (i) Two activities that mother was free to do:
(a)...........................................
(b)............................................
(ii)Two activities that children avoided doing because of television:
(a) .....................................
(b) ...................................

Oh yes, we know it keeps them still,
They don't climb out the window sill,
They never fight or kick or punch,
They leave you free to cook the lunch
And wash thedishes in the sink
But did you ever stop to think,
To wonder just exactly what
This does to your beloved tot?
It rots the sense in the head!
It kills imagination dead!
It clogs and clutters up the mind!
It makes a child so dull and blind
He can no longer understand
A fantasy, a fairyland!
His brain becomes as soft as cheese!
His power of thinking rust and freeze!
He cannot think - He only sees!
'All right!' you'll cry. 'All right!' you'll say,
'But if we take the set away,
What shall-we do to entertain
Our darling children? Please explain!'
We'll answer this by asking you,
'What used the darling ones to do?'
'How used they keep themselves contented
Before this monster was invented?'
Have you forgotten? Don't you know?

A2. According to the poem, why is excessive watching of TV harmful?

A3. His brain became as soft as cheese. The figure of speech is ..........because............

Answer 1

A1.
(i) The mother was free to
(a) cook lunch
(b) wash the dishes in the sink
(ii) Children avoided the following due to television:
(a) climbing out through the windows
(b) fighting, kicking and punching

A2. According to the poem, excessive watching of TV is harmful as it rots the children’s senses and kills their imagination. It clogs their minds making them dull and unimaginative. The poet also says that if children watch TV for a long time their brains become soft like cheese and their power of thinking gets rusted and frozen.

A3. Simile: The softness of the brain is compared to that of cheese.