NCERT Solutions for Class 8th: The Duck and the Kangaroo (Poem) Honeydew English
Edward Lear
Page No: 99
1. Taking words that come at the end of lines, write five pairs of rhyming words. Read each pair aloud
For example, pond – beyond
Answer
Five pairs of rhyming words are as follows:
(i) Hop − stop
(ii) Back − Quack
(iii) Duck − luck
(iv) Reflection − objection
(v) Bold – cold
2. Complete the dialogue.
Duck: Dear Kangaroo! Why don’t you ____________________________
Kangaroo: With pleasure, my dear Duck,
though _____________________
Duck: That won’t be a problem. I will ____________________________
Answer
Duck: Dear Kangaroo! Why don’t you give me a ride on your back?
Kangaroo: With pleasure, my dear Duck, though your feet are unpleasantly wet and cold and I might catch rheumatism.
Duck: That won’t be a problem. I will wear worsted socks and cloak and smoke a cigar every day to keep out the cold.
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 ‘rheumatism’ is spelt differently and is in two parts so that it can rhyme with ‘kangaroo’ in the following line. As a result of splitting the word into two and changing its spelling, ‘roo’ rhymes with ‘kangaroo’. The second part ‘Matiz’ begins with a capital letter because it is the first word of the line. In a poem, every line begins with a capital letter even if it is in continuation with the previous line. Hence, this has been done in order to enhance the poetic effect of the lines.
Duck: Dear Kangaroo! Why don’t you give me a ride on your back?
Kangaroo: With pleasure, my dear Duck, though your feet are unpleasantly wet and cold and I might catch rheumatism.
Duck: That won’t be a problem. I will wear worsted socks and cloak and smoke a cigar every day to keep out the cold.
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 ‘rheumatism’ is spelt differently and is in two parts so that it can rhyme with ‘kangaroo’ in the following line. As a result of splitting the word into two and changing its spelling, ‘roo’ rhymes with ‘kangaroo’. The second part ‘Matiz’ begins with a capital letter because it is the first word of the line. In a poem, every line begins with a capital letter even if it is in continuation with the previous line. Hence, this has been done in order to enhance the poetic effect of the lines.