1. Answer these questions:
2.
(i) Why does the poet want to know where the teachers go at four o’clock.
Ans : The poet thinks that the teachers are special human beings. So he wants to know where they go and what they do after school hours.
(ii) What are the things normal people do that the poet talks about.
Ans: Normal people when they return from work, they change their clothes and wash their faces and become fresh. They rest for a while and then maybe go shopping with their families or help their children with their homework.
(iii) What does he imagine about.
a. Where teachers live.
Ans: The poet imagines that teachers live in joint families.
b. What they do at home.
Ans : They wash their clothes, change into fresh clothes and then go to bed.
c. The people with whom they live.
Ans : They live with their parents.
d. Their activities when they were children in school.
Ans: When they were at school going age, they were too spelt the words correctly, chewed chocolates in the class and were punished.
(iv) Why does the poet wonder if teachers also do things that other people do.
Ans: The poet regards his teachers as special persons. They are his ideals, perfect in
every respect. So he wonders if they also do things that other people do.
(v) How does the poet plan to find out. What will he do once he finds out.
Ans The poet plans to get first hand information about his teacher. He plans to follow one of his teachers and find out what he/she does. Then he will record his findings in a poem for the benefit of other children.
3. What do you think these phrases from the poem mean.
(i) Punished in the corner
(ii) Leave their greens.
Ans: (i) The teacher keeps an eye on all the students. In case he notices a boy eating chocolates or making spelling mistakes, he asks the boy to stand in the corner as punishment.
(ii) Leave their greens means to leave the playground after the bell rings for the next period to begin.
4. Why does the poet envy his teacher.
Ans : A child spells the words wrongly or he eats chocolates in the classroom. He scribbles on the desk and soils his jeans. His teacher is free from such an unpleasant life.
5. Why does the poet want to observe the teacher’s activities at home.
Ans The poet plans to follow his teacher to his house and find out what he does at home. He will then write it in a poem for children to read and understand.