Animals, Birds and Dr. Dolittle Class 7 English Poorvi NCERT Solutions
Chapter 4 Animals, Birds and Dr. Dolittle NCERT Solutions Class 7 English
Page No. 43
Let us do these activities before we read
I. Do you have a pet or a domestic animal? If yes, why? If not, why not? How do people usually spend time with a pet or domestic animal? Share your thoughts with your classmates and the teacher.
Answer
Example: I have a dog because it is loyal and fun. People spend time with pets by playing, feeding, or walking them. If I don’t have a pet, it might be because of less space or time.
II. You must have read stories where animals and birds talk. If you had a chance to communicate with an animal or a bird, who would you like to speak to and why? Share your thoughts with your classmates and the teacher.
Answer
Example: I would speak to a parrot because it is colourful and smart. I want to know what it thinks about flying and living in trees.
III. If we closely observe the body language of animals and birds, we can understand what they want to tell us. Work in pairs and study the pictures given below. Find out what emotions these animals and birds are trying to convey. Share your observations with your classmates and the teacher.
Answer
Example:
- Happy (dog wagging tail)
- Curious (cat looking up)
- Angry (bird puffing feathers)
- Tired (horse with droopy eyes)
Page 46
Let us discuss
I. Complete the following sentence by selecting a suitable reason. The Cat's-food-Man suggests to Doctor Dolittle that he should become an animal doctor because he believes that Dolittle _______
1. earns less fee by treating human patients
2. enjoys the company of animals as they speak less
3. dislikes spending time with human patients
4. knows more about animals than the local veterinarians
Answer
4. knows more about animals than the local veterinarians
The Cat's-food-Man says, "you know all about animals—much more than what these vets here do", showing he believes Dolittle is better than local veterinarians.
II. Fill in the blanks by choosing the suitable option given in the brackets.
Doctor Dolittle reacts to Polynesia's information about animal languages with both excitement and ______ (certainty/curiosity). He rushes to _____ (write/memorise) the bird words she provides and is interested in learning more.
Answer
Doctor Dolittle reacts to Polynesia's information about animal languages with both excitement and curiosity. He rushes to write the bird words she provides and is interested in learning more.
The story states, "Tell me some more,' said the Doctor, all excited, showing excitement and curiosity. He rushes to get a book and pencil to "write it down," confirming he writes the words.
III. Do you think Doctor Dolittle would be famous as an animal doctor? If yes, why? If not, why not?
Answer
Yes, Doctor Dolittle would be famous because he can talk to animals and understand their problems, like prescribing glasses for a horse. This makes him unique and effective, attracting many animals.
Page 49
Let us discuss
I. What became a common sight in Puddleby after Doctor Dolittle started treating animals?
1. Humans talking to farm animals
2. Farm animals wearing glasses
3. Farm animals learning bird language
4. Birds riding atop farm animals
Answer
2. Farm animals wearing glasses
The story says, "soon it became a common sight to see farm animals wearing glasses in the countryside, round Puddleby", after Dolittle prescribed glasses for a horse.
II. What challenges do you think Doctor Dolittle might face if more and more animals come to him for help? How might he overcome these challenges to ensure that he provides good treatment?
Answer
- Challenges: Too many animals crowding his garden, difficulty managing time, and different animal needs.
- Solutions: He makes special doors for different animals, organises treatment by type, and learns their languages to diagnose quickly.
III. Arrange the following events in correct order according to the story. Two have been done for you. Share your answers with your classmates and the teacher.
Answer
Page 50
Let us think and reflect
I. Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.
1.“If I say, ‘Polly wants a cracker’, you understand me. But hear this: Kaka oi-ee, fee-fee?”
“Good Gracious!” cried the Doctor. “What does that mean?”
“That means, ‘Is the porridge hot yet?’—in bird language.”
“My! You don’t say so!” said the Doctor. “You never talked that way to me before.”
“What would have been the good?” said Polynesia, dusting some cracker crumbs off her left wing. “You wouldn’t have understood me if I had.”
(i) Complete the sentence by choosing the correct option. In the line, "Good Gracious!" cried the Doctor, the expression 'Good Gracious' can be replaced by______!
A. bravo
B. gosh
C. alas
D. hurray
Answer
B. gosh
"Good Gracious" expresses surprise, as does "gosh." The Doctor is surprised to learn bird language (page 50). "Bravo" (praise), "alas" (sadness), and "hurray" (joy) do not fit.
(ii) Why had Polynesia never used bird language with the Doctor earlier?
Answer
This is because the Doctor wouldn’t have understood her.
Polynesia says, "You wouldn’t have understood me if I had", as he didn’t know bird language before.
(iii) Identify whether the following statement is true or false. Polynesia had been munching on a food item while talking to Doctor Dolittle.
Answer
True
The story mentions Polynesia "dusting some cracker crumbs off her left wing", indicating she was eating crackers.
(iv) How did Doctor Dolittle feel according to the extract?
A. anxious
B. surprised
C. angry
D. relaxed
Answer
B. surprised
The Doctor’s reactions like "Good Gracious!" and "My! You don’t say so!" show he is surprised by Polynesia’s revelation about bird language.
“Certainly,” said the Doctor. “Green ones you shall have.”
“You know, the trouble is, Sir,” said the plough horse as the Doctor opened the front door to let him out—“the trouble is that anybody thinks she can doctor animals— just because the animals don’t complain. As a matter of fact, it takes a much cleverer man to be a really good animal doctor than it does to be a good people’s doctor.”
(i) Choose a word from the extract to complete the analogy. digging: flower bed :: ____ : field
Answer
ploughing
The horse says, "While I’m ploughing the field". Digging is an action done in a flower bed, and ploughing is an action done in a field.
(ii) Choose the correct word to complete the sentence. Doctor Dolittle’s attitude in the extract is
A. respectful
B. sentimental
C. understanding
D. careful
Answer
C. understanding
The Doctor listens to the horse’s need for glasses and agrees, saying, "Of course—of course", showing he understands the horse’s problem.
(iii) Complete the sentence with an appropriate reason. Based on the extract, we can conclude that doctors take animals for granted because ____.
Answer
animals don’t complain.
The horse says, "anybody thinks he can doctor animals—just because the animals don’t complain", suggesting doctors assume animals are easy to treat since they don’t speak.
(iv) Do you agree with the concluding sentence of the extract? Why/why not?
Answer
Yes, I agree because being a good animal doctor requires understanding animal languages and their unique needs, which is harder than treating humans who can explain their symptoms (page 51).
II. Answer the following questions.
1. How can we say that Polynesia was a good trainer of animal language?
Answer
Polynesia was a good trainer because she taught Dolittle bird language patiently, starting with simple words like "Ka-ka oi-ee, fee-fee", and helped him understand animal body language, like Jip’s nose twitch (page 46).
2. Explain how Doctor Dolittle gave equal and individual attention to each animal who came to him for treatment.
Answer
He made special doors for different animals (horses, cows, sheep, mice) to organise visits. He listened to each animal’s specific problem, like prescribing green glasses for a horse, ensuring individual care.
3. How does Doctor Dolittle’s readiness to follow the parrot’s advice highlight the importance of listening to different viewpoints?
Answer
Dolittle listens to Polynesia’s advice to become an animal doctor and learns animal languages. This shows that considering others’ ideas, even from a parrot, can lead to success, like his fame among animals.
4. Which qualities of Doctor Dolittle made him famous among the animals? Explain with evidence from the text.
Answer
1. Communication: He learned animal languages, allowing him to understand their problems.
2. Care: He prescribed glasses for a horse, solving its blindness.
3. Organisation: He made special doors for different animals, making treatment easier. These qualities made animals trust him.
5. What changes do you think would happen in the world if people suddenly gained the ability like Doctor Dolittle, to understand and communicate with animals?
Answer
People would treat animals better, understanding their needs and pain. Vets would diagnose problems easily, like Dolittle did with the horse. Animals might live happier lives, and humans would respect nature more.
Page 52
Let us learn
I. Read the following words from the text.
Cat’s-food-Man, bird language, flowerpots
Are all the words that are combined to form another word written the same way?
Compound words are formed by combining two words of different parts of speech to create a new word that has an entirely new meaning. They are of three types─ hyphenated (Cat’s-food-Man), open compound words (bird language) and closed compound words (flowerpots).
Complete the following table correctly by choosing words from the box given below.
Answer
II. Create compound words from the table given below.
Answer
Now, complete the paragraph with suitable compound words from the table.
Answer
After being treated by Doctor Dolittle, the fun-loving dolphins danced playfully in his sanctuary. The never-ending chatter of monkeys echoed through the tree-tops, their ailments cured. High-flying eagles soared gracefully over-tops, their health restored. Song-birds among the early-risers, chirped joyfully from the branches. All creatures were happy with Doctor Dolittle’s care.
III. Underline the names of animals that are hidden in the sentences given below. Clues are given within the brackets.
1. Dr. Dolittle was eating oatmeal for his breakfast. (a farm animal)
Answer
goat
2. Old ladies began to bring him their pets. (an insect)
Answer
ant
3. The author sees the connection between humans and animals. (a farm animal)
Answer
horse
4. The three baby dinosaurs are from ice age. (field animal)
Answer
mice
5. The patients who came late didn’t know where to go. (ship of the desert)
Answer
camel
IV. Read the following sentence from the text. Study the highlighted words.
But that stupid man over the hill never even looked at my eyes.
The highlighted words spell and read the same backwards too.
A word, phrase, or sequence that reads the same backwards as forwards is a palindrome.
Some of the common palindromes include ‘Was it a car or a cat I saw?’, ‘Madam, I’m Adam’ and ‘A man, a plan, a canal—Panama’.
Read the sentences below and identify the palindrome words and sentences.
- Step on no pets.
- Naman saw a race car at the show.
- Nitin speaks in Malayalam.
- The engineer used a rotator to check the surface level.
- The pilot relied on the radar to navigate safely.
- Eva can I see bees in a cave?
Answer
1. Step on no pets.
2. Naman saw a race car at the show.
3. Nitin speaks in Malayalam.
4. The engineer used a rotator to check the surface level.
5. The pilot relied on the radar to navigate safely.
6. Eva can I see bees in a cave?
Now, create your own palindrome.
Answer
- level
- noon
- radar
- civic
- pop
- wow
- deed
V. Underline the verbs and identify the tense form in the following sentences from the text.
- He is asking you a question.
- Oh, there are plenty of animal doctors.
- I am going blind in one eye.
- … the trouble is that anybody thinks he can doctor animals.
Answer
- He is asking you a question. (Present continuous)
- Oh, there are plenty of animal doctors. (Simple present)
- I am going blind in one eye. (Present continuous)
- … the trouble is that anybody thinks he can doctor animals. (Simple present)
VI. Read the following sentences from the text.
- That man’s (man has) got sense.
- Can’t you see that it has stopped raining?
In the first sentence the verbs, ‘has got’ denote an action that is relevant at the time of speaking. In the second sentence, the verbs‘has stopped’ denote an action that is recently completed.
We use present perfect tense to indicate:
- a recently completed action
- an action that started in the past and is relevant even at the moment of speaking
- an action in the past where the focus is on the action and not on the time of occurrence (but relevant at the time of speaking)
Fill in the blanks using the correct form of verbs (present perfect) given within brackets.
Since becoming an animal doctor, Doctor Dolittle 1. _____(learn) to communicate with all animals and birds. He 2. _____ (treat) countless farm animals and pets with care.The parrot, Polynesia, 3. _____ (teach) him bird-language, and he 4. _____ (write) books about his adventures. Many people 5. _____ (bring) their sick animals to his door. Over the years, Dolittle 6. _____ (become) renowned worldwide for his unique abilities.
Answer
- has learned
- has treated
- has taught
- has written
- have brought
- has become
Page 57
Let us write
A notice is a means of formal communication for a particular group ofpersons. It informs them about some important event, such as an invitationto a meeting, an announcement, to give instructions, make appeals, etc.
Write a notice in about 50 words about the Annual Health Check-up forstudents of Grades 6–8. Remind students to collect their health check-upcards from the class teacher. Include all other necessary details about date,time, and venue.
Complete the draft of the notice by using the words and phrases given in the box below.
Answer
Name of the School
NOTICE
12 July 20XX
Annual Health Check-up
This is to inform all the students of Grades 6-8 about the Annual Health Check-up.
Date: 27 and 28 July 20XX
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Venue: Assembly hall
All students are requested to bring their health card for the check-up. For queries or further details, please contact the undersigned.
Asma
In-charge