TEXT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:
Working with the poem.
Q1. Discuss these questions in small groups before you answer them.
i) When is a grown up likely to say this?
Don’t talk with your mouth full.
ii)When are you likely to be told this?
Say thank you.
iii) When do you think an adult would say this?
No one thinks you are funny.
Answer.
i) A grown up is likely to say don’t talk with your mouth full when kids are eating and talking at the sametime and their mouths are full.
ii) I am likely to be told to say thank you when someone offers me something or when someone helps me.
iii) I think an adult would say no one thinks you are funny when the children overact or try to make some stupid joke in front of others.
Q 2. The last two lines of the poem are not prohibitions or instructions. What is the adult now asking the child to do? Do you think the poet is suggesting that this is unreasonable ? Why?
Ans. The last two lines of the poem are not prohibitions or instructions.
Here the adult is asking the children to take independent decisions. The poet is suggesting that this is unreasonable because at all times, the adults expect children to listen and follow their instructions blindly. Suddenly they want them to take their decisions.
Q 3 Why do you think grown ups say the kind of things mentioned in the poem? Is it important that they teach children good manners and how to behave in public?
Ans. I think that the grown ups say the kind of things mentioned in the poem in order to teach children the decent and proper ways of doing things. Yes, it is important that the adults teach children good manners and how to behave in public because they have experienced and learnt these things.
Q 4 If you had to make some rules for grown ups to follow what would you say? Make at least five such rules . Arrange the lines as in a poem.
Ans. Don’t dictate and make us follow them.
The times are different , so our ways are different.
Don’t talk over the phone while eating.
Spend quality time with us.
Understand our needs.