GSEB Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 6 The Duck and the Kangaroo Solutions

Reading Comprehension

Read the following stanzas and answer the questions given below them :

Question 1.
Said the Duck to the Kangaroo,
"Good gracious! how you hop!
Over the fields and the water too,
As if you never would stop!
My life is a bore in this nasty pond,
And I long to go out in the world beyond!
I wish I could hop like you!"
Said the Duck to the Kangaroo.
Questions:
(1) What do the words 'Good gracious!' Convey here?
(2) What was the strong desire of the Duck? Why?
(3) What did the Duck wish?
Answer:
(1) The words 'Good gracious' here show surprise at watching the Kangaroo hop constantly over fields and water. It means the Duck was amazed by the Kangaroo's non-stop hopping.
(2) The Duck felt that its life in the dirty pond was boring, and it wanted to explore the world beyond that pond. The strong desire was to experience new things and places.
(3) The Duck wished it could hop like the Kangaroo. It longed for the freedom and movement the Kangaroo possessed.

Question 2.
"Please give me a ride on your back!”
Said the Duck to the Kangaroo.
"I would sit quite still, and say nothing but 'Quack',
The whole of the long day through!
And we'd go to the Dee, and the Jelly Bo Lee,
Over the land, and over the sea;
Please take me a ride! O do!"
Said the Duck to the Kangaroo.
Questions:
(1) What did the Duck request the Kangaroo?
(2) What would be the self-made condition of the Duck if the Kangaroo gave him a ride?
(3) Identify and explain the Figure of Speech in the line-'Said the Duck to the Kangaroo'.
Answer:
(1) The Duck asked the Kangaroo to carry it on its back so it could view the world beyond the pond. It wished to explore new places.
(2) If the Kangaroo allowed the Duck a ride on its back, the Duck promised to remain very still on its back for the entire day, saying nothing but 'Quack'. It agreed to be silent.
(3) The literary device in the line 'Said the Duck to the Kangaroo' is inversion. Here, the word order in the sentence is turned around; for example, instead of 'The Duck said to the Kangaroo', it is written as 'Said the Duck to the Kangaroo'. This changes the usual sentence structure.

Question 3.
Said the Kangaroo to the Duck,
"This requires some little reflection;
Perhaps on the whole it might bring me luck,
And there seems but one objection,
Which is, if you'll let me speak so bold,
Your feet are unpleasantly wet and cold,
And would probably give me the roo-Matiz !" said the Kangaroo.
Questions:
(1) Did the Kangaroo agree to the Duck's proposal instantly? What did he do then?
(2) Pick out the polite expression from the stanza.
(3) What was the objection raised by the Kangaroo?
Answer:
(1) No, the Kangaroo did not accept the Duck's idea right away. It requested a bit more time to consider it carefully and thoughtfully.
(2) The courteous phrase in the stanza is '...if you'll let me speak so bold'. This shows politeness in addressing the Duck.
(3) The Kangaroo raised a concern about the Duck's request for a ride; it stated that if the Duck rode with its chilly and damp feet, it might cause the Kangaroo to get rheumatism.

Question 4.
Said the Duck, "As I sat on the rocks,
I have thought over that completely,
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,
All to follow my own dear true
Love of a Kangaroo !”
Questions:
(1)What did the Duck think to resolve the Kangaroo's objection?
(2) Identify and explain the poetic device in the lines :
"And to keep out the cold I've bought a cloak,
And every day a cigar I'll smoke".
(3) Why would the Duck follow certain restraints for himself?
Answer:
(1) To address the Kangaroo's concern, the Duck decided to purchase four pairs of fine woollen socks to properly fit its web-feet and also obtain a cloak. Additionally, it planned to smoke a cigar daily to ward off the cold.
(2) The literary technique in these lines: "And to keep out the cold I've bought a cloak, And every day a cigar I'll smoke" is Anaphora. This involves the repetition of the word 'And' at the start of consecutive lines.
(3) The Duck would stick to particular rules for itself for two main reasons:
(i) First, otherwise, the Kangaroo would refuse to give it a ride on its back.
(ii) Second, the Duck truly loved the Kangaroo and wished to avoid causing it any injury, such as rheumatism.

Question 5.
Said the Kangaroo, "I'm ready!
All in the moonlight pale;
But to balance me well, dear Duck, sit steady!
And quite at the end of my tail!"
So away they went with a hop and abound,
And they hopped the whole world three times round;
And who so happy - O who,
As the Duck and the Kangaroo?
Questions:
(1) What instruction did the Kangaroo give to the Duck? Why?
(2) Where did they travel together?
(3) "And who so happy-O who" what does this line suggest?
Answer:
(1) The Kangaroo told the Duck to sit firmly at the very end of its tail. This instruction was given to help maintain proper balance during their journey.
(2) Both the Duck and the Kangaroo journeyed together, circling the entire world three times. They explored vast distances.
(3) The phrase "And who so happy - O who" indicates that both the Duck and the Kangaroo felt immense joy and contentment while travelling around the world three times. It highlights their great happiness.

Figures of Speech

Choose the most appropriate Figures of Speech in the following lines :

Question 1.
Said the Duck to the Kangaroo.
(a) Personification
(b) Anastrophe
(c) Metaphor
(d) Both 'A' and 'B'
Answer: (d) Both 'A' and 'B'
In simple words: The line shows Personification because animals are speaking, and Anastrophe because the word order is unusual.

Question 2.
'I would sit quite still, and say nothing but 'Quack'.'
(a) Alliteration
(b) Litotes
(c) Metaphor
(d) Both 'A' and 'B'
Answer: (d) Both 'A' and 'B'
In simple words: This line uses Alliteration with the 's' sound in 'sit quite still' and Litotes by stating 'nothing but Quack' to emphasize quietness.

Question 3.
'Over the land and over the sea'.
(a) Assonance
(b) Repetition
(c) Personification
(d) Both 'A' and 'B'
Answer: (d) Both 'A' and 'B'
In simple words: This line demonstrates Assonance with the repeating 'o' sound and also uses Repetition with the word 'over' to create emphasis.

Question 4.
'Your feet are unpleasantly wet and cold'.
(a) Antithesis
(b) Oxymoron
(c) Tautology
(d) Both 'A' and 'B'
Answer: (c) Tautology
In simple words: This phrase is an example of Tautology because 'unpleasantly wet and cold' simply describes the state of the feet without adding any new or contrasting ideas.

Question 5.
'And I bought four pairs of worsted socks'.
(a) Alliteration
(b) Personification
(c) Tautology
(d) Oxymoron
Answer: (b) Personification
In simple words: This line uses Personification because a duck, an animal, is performing a human action by buying socks.

Question 6.
'So away they went with a hop and a bound'.
(a) Anastrophe
(b) Tautology
(c) Repetition
(d) Both 'A' and 'B'
Answer: (d) Both 'A' and 'B'
In simple words: This line shows Anastrophe due to inverted word order and Tautology as 'hop' and 'bound' convey similar actions.

Question 7.
'And who so happy-O who,
As the Duck and the Kangaroo ?'
(a) Alliteration
(b) Interrogation
(c) Simile
(d) Both 'A' and 'B'
Answer: (d) Both 'A' and 'B'
In simple words: The phrase features Alliteration with the repeated 'h' sound in 'who so happy' and uses Interrogation as it poses a question.

Answer the following questions in three to four sentences each:

Question 1. Where did the Duck live and what did he long for?
Answer: The Duck resided in an unpleasant pond and felt weary of its existence. It desired to depart from that location and experience the world beyond. The Duck yearned for adventure and new sights.

Question 2. What preparations did the Duck make for the ride on the Kangaroo's back?
Answer: The Duck acquired four pairs of socks to keep its feet dry and cozy. It also purchased a thick overcoat for warmth. Furthermore, the Duck planned to smoke a cigar every day to satisfy the Kangaroo.

Question 3. What do the words 'reflection' and 'aromatize in the poem mean?
Answer:
1. 'reflections' means 'thinking' or deep thought.
2. 'aromatize' refers to 'rheumatism' - a type of condition marked by soreness and rigidity in the back and/or joints.

Question 4. Where and when do they go?
Answer: They journey around the entire world three times during the soft, pale moonlight. Their adventure takes them across vast distances under the moon's glow.

Question 5. Why does the Duck want to go out for tour?
Answer: The Duck desires to travel and explore the world beyond its pond. It wished to enjoy a pleasant journey on the Kangaroo's back, as the Kangaroo leaped over both land and water.

Question 6. What objection did the Kangaroo raise?
Answer: The Kangaroo voiced a concern that if the Duck travelled with its chilly and damp webbed feet, it might cause the Kangaroo to develop rheumatism. This was its main point of hesitation.

Question 7. What were the conditions put by the Kangaroo to allow the duck ride on him?
Answer: To permit the Duck to ride on its back, the Kangaroo set a requirement: the Duck must sit firmly at the very tip of its tail. This arrangement would then help the Kangaroo to easily keep its balance.

Question 8. What did the Duck offer from itself to allow it for the ride on the Kangaroo?
Answer: To counter the Kangaroo's objection, the Duck suggested that it would sit completely still. It promised to wear warm woollen socks, perfectly fitting its webbed feet, to solve the issue of damp feet. Additionally, the Duck would put on a cloak and smoke a cigar daily to stay warm and prevent chill.

Question 9. Write the central theme of the poem.
Answer: The poem delivers a key idea that goals can be achieved by being polite and flexible in one's actions. It highlights the importance of always considering the emotions of others and making efforts to adapt to their needs, even if it means sacrificing personal comforts. This central theme teaches us the value of respect and compromise in relationships.

Answer the following question in five to six sentences each:

Question 1. What is the central idea of the poem?
Answer: 'The Duck and the Kangaroo' is a funny poem featuring conversations between a Duck and a Kangaroo. The Duck is tired of its dull life in a dirty pond. It encounters a Kangaroo, admires its hopping skill, and asks for a ride. The Kangaroo, however, expresses worries that the Duck's damp and cold feet might make it sick. To solve this, the Duck prepares by buying woollen socks and other items to keep its feet warm and dry. After these preparations, the Kangaroo agrees, and they embark on a journey around the world three times.

The Duck and the Kangaroo Summary in English

The Duck and the Kangaroo Introduction:

Edward Lear (12 or 13 May 1812-29 January 1888) was an English artist, illustrator, musician, author and poet. He is known now mostly for his 'literary nonsense in poetry and prose and especially his limericks, a form he popularised. This is also a humorous poem of a kind known as 'Nonsense verse' by him.

The Duck and the Kangaroo Summary:

The Duck and the Kangaroo were both close companions. Since the Duck resided in a pond and did not experience a diverse life of exploring the world, it wished to undertake a pleasant trip globally. Therefore, it asked the Kangaroo to permit it to sit on its tail for an enjoyable journey. The Kangaroo granted the request but also set certain terms. It explained that the Duck's feet were unpleasantly damp and chilly. This could potentially lead to rheumatism. After hearing this, the Duck guaranteed the Kangaroo with solutions it had considered. It mentioned that it had already purchased four pairs of woollen socks to wear. Furthermore, it had acquired a cloak to cover itself and planned to smoke cigars daily. In this manner, both the Duck and the Kangaroo began their excursion and carried on with their joyful travels.