NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Poem 6 The Duck and the Kangaroo

The Duck and the Kangaroo NCERT Solutions for Class 8 English Honeydew Poem 6

The Duck and the Kangaroo NCERT Text Book Questions and Answers

The Duck and the Kangaroo Working with the poem

Question 1.
Taking words that come at the end of lines, write five pairs of rhyming words. Read each pair aloud.
Answer:

hop – stop
Duck – luck
back – quack
rocks – socks
Lee – sea

Question 2.
Complete the dialogue.
Completed

Duck: Dear Kangaroo! Why don’t you give me a ride on your back?

Kangaroo: With pleasure, my dear Duck, though your feet would be wet and cold, and I would catch rheumatism.

Duck: That won’t be a problem. I will cover my feet with four pair of socks, and wear a cloak from head to toe. I will also smoke a cigar every day to keep warm.

Question 3.
The Kangaroo does not want to catch ‘rheumatism ’. Spot this word in stanza 3 and say why it is spelt differently. Why is it in two parts? Why does the second part begin with a capital letter?
Answer:
The word used by the Kangaroo for rheumatism is Roo-Matiz. It is spelt differently because this is a nonsense poem, and the poet did not want to use such a heavy term in a poem. It is in two parts because the poet wanted to use a word that rhymes with kangaroo. The second part begins with a capital letter because it is at the beginning of the line.

Question 4.
Do you find the poem humorous? Read aloud lines that make you laugh.
Answer:
Yes, the poem is extremely humorous. It is about a kangaroo and duck talking about going on a tour together. It is a nonsense poem, and uses some words that have no meaning. Some of the lines that made me laugh are as follows:

Your feet are unpleasantly wet and cold,
And would probably give me the roo-
Matiz! ’said the Kangaroo.

And I bought four pairs of worsted socks Which fit my web-feet neatly.
And to keep out the cold I’ve bought a cloak,
And every day a cigar I ’ll smoke,