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Question
Mention any two qualities of Macavity.
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Solution
Macavity possesses supernatural powers which allow him to levitate up in the air. He is so confident in his manner that whenever the crime is discovered, he disappears without leaving a single trace.
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With all my heart I do admire
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Complete the summary of the poem by filling in the blanks with the words given below.
The poet, in a relaxed state of mind, is sitting in a (1) ______. He reflects on how his mood brings (2) ______thoughts, which are inevitably followed by (3)______ones. He feels connected to all of nature, and senses an inherent joy in all (4)______. He has faith in the fact that all the primroses and periwinkles around him (5)______ the air they breathe. He feels that every bird in the grove moves with (6)______. As the twigs catch the breezy air, they do so with the same pleasure (7)______ all life on earth. This joy of nature seems to be heaven-sent. Nature’s holy plan is to offer joy and peace to all forms of life on earth. The poet’s pleasant train of thought slowly leads to the sad reflection of how mankind alone has wrought sorrow and (8)______ upon itself. He firmly believes that man is meant to spend his days blissfully taking part in the vitality and joy surrounding him in (9)______. He therefore concludes rhetorically, emphasizing that he has good reason to (10)______ the distress, man unnecessarily brings upon himself.
| creations | abundance | savour |
| pleasant | suffering | grove |
| lament | pervading | sorrowful |
| ecstasy |
Explain the following line with reference to the context in about four to five sentence each.
The birds around me hopp’d and play’d,
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What scene in nature gives you pleasure? Talk for a minute describing a natural scene that gave you a lot of joy. What did you see, hear, smell or feel, that gave you joy?
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| DOG | CAT | WOLF | ELEPHANT |
What is Macavity’s nickname?
Why is the Flying Squad frustrated?
Describe Macavity’s appearance.
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‘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.
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| respectable | criminal |
| devil | thought |
| sunken | division |
| agents | detective |
| alibi | desperate |
| fakir | qualities |
| gravity | greenhouse |
Give an account of Macavity’s destructive mischief.
Explain the following line with reference to the context.
His powers of levitation would make a fakir stare
Identify the literary devices used in the following lines:
- He sways his head from side to side, with movements like a snake.
- They say he cheats at cards.
What is the rhyme scheme used in the poem?
Which quality does the speaker wish to nourish? What is his mission?
Read the given line and answer the question that follow.
He, who does not stoop, is a king we adore. We bow before competence and merit;
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Read the given line and answer the question that follow.
Honour is a property, common to all: In dignity and pride no one need to be poor.
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The historical background:
The poem is an extract from William Shakespeare’s play King Richard the Second. The play is based on true events that occurred towards the end of the 14th century.
Richard II was crowned the King of England in the year 1367. He continued to be the British Monarch until 1399, when he was deposed by his cousin, Henry of Bolingbroke, who crowned himself King Henry the Fourth in the same year. Shakespeare’s play is a dramatic rendition of the last two years of King Richard II’s life. In this brief span of time, he was ousted from his royal position and sent to prison, where he died in captivity.
The following extract is set in the Coast of Wales. King Richard and some of his followers awaited the arrival of the Welsh army [after facing defeat at the hands of his cousin, Bolingbroke], of about 10000 warriors. But to their shock and surprise, they received the message that the army was not coming to their rescue. His followers tried to boost their King’s courage against the news, only in vain. When Richard came face to face with the reality of his terrible fate, he spoke the following verse, famously known as the “Hollow Crown” speech in theatrical circles. In it, King Richard is reminded of the power of Death that overshadows everything else, including the power of rulers, and renders them as powerless as any commoner at a moment’s notice.
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.
What are the various functions and objects given up by a defeated king?
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?”
