Tamilnadu Board Samacheer Kalvi 10th English Poem Solutions Chapter 4: Tamilnadu State Board Solution Class 10 English Chapter 4 Poem – The Ant And The Cricket.
Samacheer Kalvi 10th English Poem Solutions Chapter 4: Overview
| Board | Samacheer Kalvi |
| Class | 10 |
| Subject | English |
| Unit | (4) Poem |
| Chapter Name | The Ant And The Cricket |
Samacheer Kalvi Class 10th Poem The Ant And The Cricket Question Answer Solution
UNIT 4
POEM
THE ANT AND THE CRICKET
ADAPTED FROM AESOP’S FABLES
(A) Based on your understanding of the poem, read the following lines and answer the questions given below.
(1) A silly young cricket accustomed to sing
Through the warm, sunny months of gay summer and spring.
(a) What was the routine of the cricket?
Answer: The routine of the cricket was to sing and enjoy in the months of summer and spring.
(b) Name the seasons mentioned here.
Answer: The seasons mentioned here are summer and spring.
(2) Began to complain when he found that, at home,
His cupboard was empty, and winter was come.
(a) Who does he refer to?
Answer: He refers to the cricket.
(b) Why was his cupboard empty?
Answer: Since the cricket didn’t store anything, his cupboard was empty.
(3) Not a crumb to be found
On the snow-covered ground;
(a) What couldn’t he find on the ground?
Answer: He could not even find crumb- piece of bread on the ground.
(b) Why was the ground covered with snow?
Answer: It was the winter season so the ground was covered with snow.
(4) At last by starvation and famine made bold,
All dripping with wet, and all trembling with cold,
(a) What made the cricket bold?
Answer: Starvation and famine made the cricket bold.
(b) Why did the cricket drip and tremble?
Answer: Winter’s coldness made the cricket drip and tremble.
(5) Away he set off to a miserly ant,
To keep if, to keep him alive, he would grant
Him shelter from rain,
And a mouthful of grain.
(a) Whom did the cricket want to meet? Why?
Answer: The cricket wanted to meet ant. He wanted to shelter and food from the ant.
(b) What would keep him alive?
Answer: Shelterfrom rain and mouthful of grain would keep him alive.
(6) But we ants never borrow;we ants never lend.
(a) Why do you think ants neither borrow nor lend?
Answer: Ants are hard working and believes in the policy of no borrow no lend.
(b) Who says these lines to whom?
Answer: The ant says these lines to the cricket.
(7) ‘‘ Not I!
My heart was so light
That I sang day and night,
For all nature looked gay.”
(a) Who does ‘I’ refer to?
Answer: ’I’ refers to the cricket.
(b) What was the nature of the cricket? How do you know?
Answer: The nature of the cricket is to sing day and night and be happy with it. We come to know this from -That I sang day and night, For all nature looked gay
(8) Thus ending, he hastily lifted the wicket,
And out of the door turned the poor little cricket,
(a) The ant refused to help the cricket. Why?
Answer: The ant refused to help the cricket because they were hard working and didn’t believe in giving or taking from someone.
(b) Explain the second line.
Answer: The ant shut the door and the cricket had to go helplessly.
(9) He wished only to borrow;
He’d repay it tomorrow;
(a) Pick out the rhyming words in the above lines.
Answer: Borrow- tomorrow
(b) Give more examples of rhyming words from the poem.
Answer: Sing-spring, home-come, found-ground, see-tree, bold-cold, ant-grant, rain-grain, friend-lend, light-night, gay-say, cricket-wicket, true-two.
(10) My heart was so light
that I sang day and night,
For all nature looked gay.
“You sang , Sir , you say”?
(a) Mention the rhyme scheme employed in the above lines.
Answer: aabb
(B) Based on your understanding of the poem, complete the summary using the phrases given below .
In this narrative poem, the poet brings out the idea that is essential for every creature. He conveys this message to the readers through a story of an ant and a cricket.The ant spends all its summer saving some grains. The cricket sings and dances happily in the summer. He doesn’t save anything for the winter. When winter comes, he is worried that his kitchen cupboard is empty. So, he seeks the help of the ant to have saving for future and a warm place to stay. The cricket was even prepared to repay it in the future. The ant made it clear that ants never borrow or lend. He also enquired the cricket if it had saved anything when the weather was fine. The cricket answered that it had sung day and night enjoying the pleasant nature. The ant threw the cricket out and stated in a stern voice it should dance in the winter season too. In his concluding lines, the poet affirms that this is not just a fable but it is true and applicable to human beings also.
(C) Answer each of the following questions in a paragraph of 120-150 words.
(1) ‘Some crickets have four legs and some have two’. Elucidate this statement from the poet’s point of view.
Answer: In this poem the poet wants give us valuable lesson of life. The cricket and the ant have symbolic value. The cricket is a careless creature. It just sings and dances all the time in summer and spring. It does not worry much about the future. It just thinks of the present and enjoys life and this is why it does not save anything. When winter arrives, there is much cold and the cricket goes to the ant to seek its help. It wanted shelter and food for its survival. But the ant refuses to help it and tells it that it neither borrows nor does it lend. Then the cricket felt helpless and left. Ants are known for their hard work and dedication toward work. It saves food for the future. The poet says that we human beings have two legs but sometimes some human being behave like cricket(four-legged) and end up having situation like the cricket.
(2) Compare and contrast the attitude of the ant and the cricket.
Answer: The poem is about two extreme characters in the form of two insects. Both possess certain qualities. The cricket is foolish and careless one who just enjoys the summer and spring. It dances all the way and does not think about the future. When winter approaches it does not have anything for itself. Then it goes to ant that refuses to help it and tell that it does not believe in borrowing or lending. Ants are known for their diligence and saves for the future. It shows their positive quality that one must learn from and on the other hand the cricket is stupid and careless. In this way we can see that how on one hand the ant is secured and responsible one whereas the cricket is careless and irresponsible one.
(3) If given a chance, who would you want to be- the ant or the cricket? Justify your answer.
Answer: If given a chance, I would like to be the ant. The ant is representation of dedication and hard work. It always thinks about future and saves enough food and requirements for itself. Its vision is great and does not act in careless way. It works hard day and night to make its life fruitful in the future. It knows that the present efforts will give fruitful results in the future. The ant’s positive qualities are something I wish to possess and would love to inculcate in myself. It would make my life more secured.
