Chapter 17 – Dad and the Cat and the Tree (Poem) Solutions
Question - 1 : - Why was Dad sure he wouldn’t fall ?
Answer - 1 : -
Dad thought that he was an expert climber. So he was sure he wouldn’t fall.
Question - 2 : - Which phrase in the poem expresses Dad’s self-confidence best?
Answer - 2 : -
The phrase “A climber like me” expresses his self-confidence best.
Question - 3 : - Describe Plan A and its consequences.
Answer - 3 : -
The plan A was to climb on the tree with the help of a ladder. Dad tried to do so. But the ladder slipped and Dad fell in the flower-bed.
Question - 4 : - Plan C was a success. What went wrong then ?
Answer - 4 : -
Plan C was a success because the cat had come down the tree. The thing that went wrong was (that) the Dad was stuck in the tree.
Question - 5 : - The cat was very happy to be on the ground. Pick out the phrase used to express this idea.
Answer - 5 : -
The following phrases have been used to express the idea that the cat was happy.
(i) pleased as punch.
(ii) smiling and smirking
Question - 6 : - Describe the Cat and Dad situation in the beginning and at the end of the poem.
Answer - 6 : -
In the beginning of the poem, the cat was stuck in the tree. Dad was on the ground planning to bring the cat down. At the end of the poem. Dad was stuck in the tree and the cat was on the ground. However, the cat was very happy. It smiled and smirked.
Question - 7 : - Why and when did Dad say each of the following ?
(i) Fall ?
(ii) Never mind
(iii) Funny joke
(iv) Rubbish
Answer - 7 : -
(i) Dad said, ‘Fall ?’ when Mum said, ‘For goodness sake, don’t fall !”.
(ii) Dad said, ‘Never Mind’ when the ladder had slipped and Dad had fallen in the flower-bed.
(iii) Dad said, “Funny joke” when Mum warned him not to fall again.
(iv) Dad said “Rubbish” when Mum asked him to stop trying to rescue the cat. She warned that it might break his neck.
Question - 8 : - Read the lines in which the following phrases occur. Then discuss with your partner the meaning of each phrase in its context.
(i) Velvet grass
(ii) Drinking straws
(iii) Meadow houses
(iv) Amazing mound
(v) Fuzzy head
Answer - 8 : -
(i) ‘Velvet grass’ refers to the soft grass of the meadows.
(ii) ‘Drinking straws’ refer to the part from which the butterfly sips the nectar from the flowers.
(iii) ‘Meadow houses’ refer to the various habitats of animals, birds, and insects living in the meadow.
(iv) ‘Amazing mound’ refers to the place made of mud where the ants live. It is a tall structure made by them beneath tall grasses or trees.
(v) ‘Fuzzy head’ refers to the flower dandelion, which was golden when it had freshly bloomed. However, it had turned into a light airy structure, which fluttered if one blew on it.
Question - 9 : - Which line in the poem suggests that you need a keen eye and a sharp ear to enjoy a meadow? Read aloud the stanza that contains this line.
Answer - 9 : -
The line in the poem that suggests that ‘You may discover these yourself, if you look and listen well.’