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प्रश्न
Why does the poet say Macavity is ‘outwardly’ respectable?
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उत्तर
The poet says that Macavity is respectable ‘out wardly’ because all his stealthy, criminal activities betray his vile nature.
APPEARS IN
संबंधित प्रश्न
Guess what friendly words these two gentlemen exchange when shaking hands.
What do you associate with the title of the poem?
Pick out the expressions that indicate conflicting ideas.
What pleasantries does the poet use to fake cordiality?
Fill in the blanks choosing the words from the box given and complete the summary of the poem:
The poet Okara in this narrative monologue painfully condemns the (a)______ displayed by adults, both in their words and actions. Here, a father laments to his son about the negative changes that creep into the attitude and behaviour of humans, when they grow into (b)______. He says that people used to be (c)______ when they laugh and the honesty would be reflected in their eyes. But, people of modern times laugh (d)______. Their handshakes used to be warm and happy conveying a sense of togetherness, but nowadays the handshakes have become a mere (e)______. He warns his son that people are not trust-worthy and have become so selfish that they are concerned only about their own (f)______benefits. People utter words of welcome and exchange (g)______, but those words come only from the tip of their tongues and not from the depth of their hearts. Humans have learnt the art of changing their (h)______ expressions according to situations merely to ensure social acceptance. They wear(i)______ and exhibit multiple faces. The narrator admits that he has also changed into a hypocrite. However, he tells his son that though he (j)______ his expressions, he does all these against his will. He says he wants to become a (k)______ again and laugh genuinely. He wants to (l)______ the unreal things and (m)______how to laugh as he had done once upon a time. When he laughs before the (n)______, he sees no expression. His teeth are bare like that of the (o)______of a snake. So, he asks his son to show him how to laugh the way he used to laugh when he was a kid like him.
| relearn | adults | facial |
| personal | fangs | child |
| fakes | superficially | duplicity |
| genuine | unlearn | falsity |
| masks | mirror | pleasantries |
Interpret each of the following expression used in the poem, in one or two line.
laugh with their eyes
Interpret each of the following expression used in the poem, in one or two line.
like a fixed portrait smile
Interpret each of the following expression used in the poem, in one or two line.
hands search my empty pockets
Explain the following line with reference to the context.
There will be no thrice.
Why does the poet feel glad that he does not play any game?
Why would the referee ask whether there was a doctor in the stands? What stands is he referring to?
The poet does not wish to exchange places with the athletes. How does he justify his view?
According to the poet, what contributes most to the injuries sustained by the athletes?
Find words from the poem that convey the following ideas:
- connected together
- spread over the surface of the ground in a straggling manner
- make out or understand
- slender woody shoots growing from branches or stems of trees
Read the following line and identify the figure of speech used in each extract.
To her fair works did Nature link
The human soul that through me ran.
Does Nature affect a person’s thoughts and feelings? Explain.
The poem speaks of ______.
Listening Activity
Some phrases have been left out in the poem below. First, read the poem. Then, fill in the missing words on listening to the reading or the recording of it in full. You may listen again, if required
To Autumn
O Autumn, laden with fruit, and stained
With the blood of the grape, pass not, but sit
Beneath my ______, there thou may’st rest,
And tune thy jolly voice to my ______;
And all the daughters of the year shall dance!
Sing now the ______of fruits and flowers.
“The ______opens her beauties to
The sun, and love runs in her ______;
Blossoms hang round the brows of morning and
Flourish down the ______of modest eve,
Till clust’ring Summer breaks forth into singing,
And ______strew flowers round her head.
The spirits of the air live on the smells
Of fruit; and joy, with ______, roves round
The gardens, or sits singing in the trees.”
Thus sang the ______as he sat,
Then rose, girded himself, and o’er the bleak
Hills fled from our sight; but left his ______.
William Blake
Work in groups of 4−6. Discuss how you would preserve the environment and protect Nature. One or two representatives may share their ideas with the class.
Why is the Flying Squad frustrated?
Describe Macavity’s appearance.
Read the poem once again and complete the summary using the words given in the box.
‘Macavity – The Mystery Cat’ is a humorous poem, where the poet T.S. Eliot describes the mysterious (a) _______of a shrewd vile cat. He commits a crime at every possible opportunity. He is an elusive master (b)______who leaves no evidence after he commits a crime. Even the Scotland Yard, the London (c) ______ agency is unable to arrest him. The Flying Squad is (d) ______ because every time they rush to the crime spot to seize Macavity, he is not there. He breaks the human law as well as the law of (e) ______. He baffles even a (f) ______ with his powers of levitation. Macavity appears tall and thin with (g)______ eyes. He is always preoccupied with some serious (h) ______. His coat is dusty and his (i)______are unkempt. Macavity is a (j) ______in the guise of a cat. He appears to be outwardly (k) ______ but his actions disprove it. Macavity loots the (l)______, ransacks the jewel-case, and breaks the (m)______glass but wonder of wonders he is not to be found anywhere there. He is always a mile away from the scene of crime, happily relaxing or doing difficult (n) ______ sums. He is clever at making up an (o) ______every time he plots a crime. All the notorious cats are nothing but the (p) ______Macavity, the Napoleon of Crime.
| larder | whiskers |
| respectable | criminal |
| devil | thought |
| sunken | division |
| agents | detective |
| alibi | desperate |
| fakir | qualities |
| gravity | greenhouse |
Fill in the blanks using the words given in the box to complete the summary of the poem:
King Richard the Second, had surrendered to his (a)______cousin, Bollingbroke. He experienced deep distress at the horror of his circumstances. In that desperate situation, he speaks of (b)______, (c)______, (d)______and other things connected with death. He spoke of how people leave nothing behind and can call nothing their own, except for the small patch of (e)______, where they will be buried. King Richard yielded to dejection and talked of all the different ways in which defeated kings suffer how some had been deposed, (f)______in war, (g)______by their wives and so forth. He attributed this loss of lives to (h)______, who he personified as the jester who watches over the shoulder of every ruler, who mocks kings by allowing them to think their human flesh, was like (i)______brass. However, Death penetrates through the castle walls, silently and unnoticed like a sharp (j)______, thus bidding (k)______to him and all his pride forever. Finally, Richard appealed to his soldiers not to mock his mere flesh and blood by showing (l) ______and respect to him. He added that he too needed bread to live, felt want, tasted (m)______and needed (n)______. He concluded thus, urging his men not to call him a (o)______as he was only human, just like the rest of them.
| barren-earth | friends | graves | slain |
| rebellious | poisoned | worms | grief |
| impregnable | epitaphs | death | farewell |
| reverence | king | pin |
Fill in the blank with appropriate word from the box and complete the statement suitably:
Alexander the Great, wished to conquer many lands and ______the entire world.
Complete the passage given below, with suitable words from the box:
Lima, a (a)______and (b)______woman, kept (c)______at her colleagues and went on taxing them with hard labour. Though they were (d) ______to her, she being their head, they were offended and filled with (e)______. It so happened, that Lima was (f)______from her high position due to a serious blunder she had committed. Lima, having lost all her (g)______and glory, realized how arrogant she had been. She gave up her pride and with (h)______sought an apology from everyone. She thus turned over a new leaf and bid (i)______to them.
| farewell | ceremonious | deposed |
| reverence | vain | pomp |
| conceited | sorrow | scoffing |
How does the king establish that he and his subjects are equal in the end?
Explain the following line with reference to the context in about 5 to 8 line:
“Comes at the last, and with a little pin
Bores through his castle wall, and farewell king!”
Working with your partner, discuss the following adages and share your views with the class. You may need to give your ideas and justify your point of view. Remember to take turns while making your presentation/short speech.
War begets war
Read the poem once again carefully and identify the figure of speech that has been used in each of the following line from the poem:
“And yet not so – for what can we bequeath
Save our deposed bodies to the ground?”
Read the poem once again carefully and identify the figure of speech that has been used in each of the following line from the poem:
“How can you say to me, I am a king?”
