Maharashtra Board Class 7 English Unit 3 Chapter 3.3 A Crow in the House Poem Solutions

Question 1. A. Find antonyms for the following from the story.
1. motionless ×
2. captivity ×
3. frequent ×
4. dull ×
5. gentle ×
6. co-operated ×
7. deep ×
Answer:
1. motionless × restless
2. captivity × freedom
3. frequent × sometimes
4. dull × gleaming
5. gentle × throaty
6. co-operated × objected
7. deep × shallow
In simple words: This question asks students to identify words from the story that have the opposite meaning to the given terms, helping to expand their vocabulary.

🎯 Exam Tip: Pay close attention to context when identifying antonyms; sometimes a direct opposite isn't available, and the best fit from the text is required.

Question B. Now try to find out synonyms (words that mean the same) for the following: (You may use a dictionary/thesaurus.
1. disapproved:
2. bits / pieces:
3. achievement:
4. attracted:
5. nuisance:
6. mishap:
7. controlled:
8. rebuke:
Answer:
1. disapproved: objected
2. bits/pieces: shreds
3. achievement: success
4. attracted: fascinated
5. nuisance: pest
6. mishap: disaster
7. controlled: restricted
8. rebuke: scold
In simple words: This section asks students to find words with similar meanings (synonyms) for a given list of terms, enhancing their vocabulary comprehension.

🎯 Exam Tip: When finding synonyms, consider the nuance of the word and choose an option that fits the original meaning and context most closely.

Question 2. Using your imagination, write how the other pets in the house could have objected to Caesar living in their house.
Answer:
The pet dog Bruno and the little pet cat Tisca would have got upset about the author's attention-getting divided. Tisca would have refused to eat or drink and Bruno must have barked each time the author would play with Caesar. Bruno and Tisca would have leapt onto the writer's lap to get his attention like before. Their pet parrot in the cage would have squabbled and squawked at the very sight of Caesar and called him names to tease him.
In simple words: Other pets like Bruno the dog and Tisca the cat would have shown their displeasure by refusing food, barking, or demanding attention, while the parrot would squawk and tease Caesar.

🎯 Exam Tip: For imagination-based questions, ensure your answer is consistent with the characters' known traits and the story's setting, providing vivid yet plausible scenarios.

Question 3. Prepare a table to show Caesar's pranks at home and outside.
Answer:

In simple words: Caesar caused mischief both indoors by messing with household items and other pets, and outdoors by stealing from neighbors and snatching food from children.

🎯 Exam Tip: When presenting information in a table, ensure clear headings and concise points for easy readability and comparison.

Question 4. Relate the life-story of Caesar, rearranging the facts In a proper sequence in the form of a flow chart.
Answer:
ℹ️ चित्र व्याख्या (Diagram Explanation): यह एक प्रवाह-चार्ट है जो सीज़र की जीवन कहानी को कालानुक्रमिक रूप से दर्शाता है। इसमें निम्नलिखित घटनाएँ शामिल हैं: लेखक द्वारा युवा कौवे को बचाना; कौवे का नाम सीज़र रखना; सीज़र का घर में चीजें खराब करना शुरू करना; सीज़र का पिंजरे में बंद होने का विरोध करना; सीज़र का पड़ोसियों को परेशान करना शुरू करना; एक पड़ोसी का सीज़र पर छड़ी फेंकना; और अंत में सीज़र की मृत्यु हो जाना।
In simple words: Caesar's life story began with being rescued by the narrator, then he was named, became mischievous, resisted caging, troubled neighbors, was hit by a stick, and eventually passed away.

🎯 Exam Tip: When describing a sequence of events, like in a flow chart, use clear, chronological language to ensure the narrative is easy to follow and understand.

Question 5. Rewrite in your own words.
(a) One event from the story.
Answer:
When Aunt Mabel paid the author a visit, Caesar impressed her by landing on her arm and demanding a kiss. As soon as Aunt Mabel (all delighted) put her cheeks forward, her spectacles grabbed his attention and he knocked them off.
In simple words: When Aunt Mabel visited, Caesar charmingly landed on her arm, but then mischievously knocked off her spectacles, highlighting his playful yet troublesome nature.

🎯 Exam Tip: When rewriting events in your own words, focus on capturing the core details and the sequence of actions accurately while using your personal vocabulary.

Question 5. Rewrite in your own words.
(b) One of the Caesar's traits that makes you laugh.
Answer:
Beginning with getting comfortable in the author's house, Caesar slowly started annoying the pets already there. He would tug at the tail of one of the dogs or sit on top of Harold, the hornbill's cage and peck his feet and annoy him. This trait makes me laugh.
In simple words: Caesar's trait of annoying other household pets, like tugging a dog's tail or pecking the hornbill's feet, is particularly amusing to the narrator.

🎯 Exam Tip: When asked about humorous traits, select an example that clearly illustrates the character's personality and explain why it is funny or memorable.

Question 6. Hold a debate on 'Pets or Pests'.
Answer:
Pets are the most lovable beings around us. When it comes to dogs, loyalty is their trademark. Besides being friendly, they shower unconditional love. Their presence in itself is a stress-buster. They have the art of lifting one's spirit with their playfulness and joyful nature. Pets help combat depression. Most pets are least demanding.
When one comes home all tired from the workplace, pets are always there to welcome. Their cheerfulness is extremely contagious. Their very presence adds to the energy of the environment. Although they cannot speak like humans, they express their emotions far more effectively. When it comes to understanding emotions, pets sense it pretty fast.
So pets are a blessing to have. Pets are pests as they are quite demanding when it comes to food. All of us know how choosy a cat is. Besides, pets eat into one's constructive time as they are dependent for their daily chores. They dirty the house and require special training. Not all pets are friendly. Some even create trouble for the neighbourhood and the owner of the pet is held responsible. Guests fear coming home when they know there is a pet dog.
Moreover, one cannot travel with a carefree mind when one has a pet back home. Making adjustments to keep the pet when one is away is another challenge. When one loses one's pet, it becomes quite difficult to overcome the sorrow due to emotional attachment. Hence, at times, pets turn out to be pests.
In simple words: Pets offer companionship, loyalty, and emotional support, reducing stress and adding joy to our lives; however, they can also be demanding, require significant care, create messes, and sometimes cause issues for neighbors or inconvenience owners when traveling.

🎯 Exam Tip: For debate questions, ensure you present balanced arguments for both sides, using clear examples and logical reasoning to support each viewpoint.

Question 7. Do you have pet animals.
Answer:
Yes, I do have a pet dog named Brady. He usually gets along well with almost everyone. But one of my neighbours Ms. Miranda, an old woman, aged 70, never managed to impressed the canine. He would do did his utmost to make her life miserable. Sometimes tilting her dustbin kept outside her door, spreading garbage all over her entrance door, other times barking at her guests so fiercely to shoo them away before they could even meet her.But one evening when Ms. Miranda got stuck in the lift, Brady immediately recognised her voice. He couldn't bear to hear her cry of anxiety mixed with fear. Off he went running, searching for the security guard and rescued her. Since then both, Brady and Ms. Miranda are best friends.
In simple words: The narrator has a dog named Brady who initially troubled an elderly neighbor, Ms. Miranda, but later became her hero by rescuing her from a stuck elevator, transforming their relationship into friendship.

🎯 Exam Tip: When writing personal response stories, ensure a clear narrative arc with a beginning, middle, and end, making the story engaging and coherent.

Language Study

Complement: There are two types of complement: subject complement and object complement. Subject complement Is a word or a phrase used after a verb that describes the subject. The underlined words and phrases in the following sentences are subject complements.
1. I am hungry.
2. My sister became a teacher.
The word 'hungry' and the phrase 'a teacher' describe the subjects of the verbs. Therefore, they are subject complements. An object complement comes after the object of a verb and gives us information about the object. The underlined words and phrases in the following sentences are object complements.
3. The class made her the monitor.
4. The teacher found my answer correct.
The phrase the monitor' gives us information about the object 'her'. The word 'correct' gives us information about the object 'my answer'.

Answer The Following Questions.

Question 1. Who were the other members of the author's family living in the same house?
Answer:
Author and his grandparents lived in the same house.
In simple words: The author shared the house with his grandparents.

🎯 Exam Tip: For factual recall questions, provide direct and concise answers based strictly on the information given in the text.

Question 2. Did the author's Grandfather like animals? How do we know that? Give two examples from this page to support your answer.
Answer:
Yes, the author's Grandfather liked animals. We know this from the fact that Grandfather already had some pets and Caesar was taken good care of by Grandfather when he was ailing.
In simple words: Yes, the Grandfather loved animals, evidenced by him already owning pets and caring for Caesar when the crow was ill.

🎯 Exam Tip: When asked for evidence, always quote or accurately paraphrase specific instances from the text to support your claim.

Question 3. What is implied in 'He took over the administration of the house?
Answer:
Inspite of the opposition to Caesar's presence in the house from Grandmother, Aunt Mabel and Grandfather's pets, he made himself comfortable there. This is what is meant by "He took over the administration of the house."
In simple words: It implies that Caesar asserted his dominance and settled comfortably in the house, despite initial resistance from other family members and pets.

🎯 Exam Tip: For inference questions, read between the lines and connect textual clues to understand the underlying meaning or implication of a statement.

Question 4. Guess how Caesar learnt to say 'Hello, hello'.
Answer:
The author taught Caesar to say 'Hello, hello' in a cracked throaty voice.
In simple words: Caesar learned to say 'Hello, hello' because the author explicitly taught him these words.

🎯 Exam Tip: When making an educated guess, base your answer on logical deductions from the provided narrative, even if not explicitly stated.

Question 5. What is meant by 'Aunt Mabel never was a success with the pets'? Can you think of the reasons why it was so?
Answer:
Aunt Mabel never was a success with the pets means she didn't get along well with pets. She, probably, must be afraid of them or there must be some inherent dislike for pets. It came in the way of pets developing a rapport with her as they are very quick to sensing love.
In simple words: Aunt Mabel struggled to connect with pets, likely due to her fear or inherent dislike, which pets sensed and prevented them from forming a bond with her.

🎯 Exam Tip: When explaining character interactions, consider the emotional intelligence of animals and how their perceptions might influence their behavior towards humans.

Question 6. What is implied in the following sentence? Most of the neighbours were represented in our house by a toothbrush.
Answer:
Caesar stole and gathered toothbrush from his neighborhood and made a collection of them on top of the cupboard in his room. As, he was very fond of them. This implied that 'Most of the neighbors were represented in our house by a toothbrush.
In simple words: This implies that Caesar frequently stole toothbrushes from neighbors and hoarded them, making these items a humorous representation of the neighbors within the author's home.

🎯 Exam Tip: Interpret figurative language by connecting the unusual statement to the character's actions and the context of the story.

Question 7. What actions of the author show that he loved Caesar?
Answer:
The author brought the injured crow home and called it Caesar. Despite Grandmother being unhappy about Caesar's mischiefs, the author never got upset or thought of getting rid of him. When he died, the author dug a grave in the garden and buried Caesar there along with all the clothes, pegs and toothbrushes. He weven taught him how to talk and kiss These actions of the author show us that he loved Caesar.
In simple words: The author's love for Caesar is evident through rescuing him, tolerating his mischiefs despite family disapproval, teaching him to talk and kiss, and respectfully burying him after his death.

🎯 Exam Tip: When identifying evidence of affection, look for actions that go beyond basic care and demonstrate patience, personal investment, and emotional connection.

Answer The Following Question In Two Or Three Sentences.

Question 1. Why did the author not expect the crow to live?
Answer:
The author did not expect the crow to live because it was in a very sorry state with its beak gaping and head dropping.
In simple words: The author didn't think the crow would survive because it was severely injured, with its beak open and head drooping.

🎯 Exam Tip: For questions requiring a short explanation, provide a direct and concise reason, limiting details to the specified sentence count.

Question 2. How did the author and his Grandfather revive the injured crow?
Answer:
The author and his Grandfather fed the crow little bread and milk; varied this diet with occasional doses of Grandmother's home-made wine in order to revive the bird.
In simple words: The author and Grandfather revived the crow by feeding it a mixture of bread, milk, and Grandmother's homemade wine.

🎯 Exam Tip: Highlight the key actions taken by the characters when describing how a problem was solved or a goal achieved.

Question 3. How did Caesar trouble Aunt Mabel?
Answer:
When Caesar alighted on her arm, the delighted Aunt Mabel leaned forward for a kiss. But her gleaming spectacles caught his attention and he knocked them off.
In simple words: Caesar troubled Aunt Mabel by knocking off her spectacles after she leaned in to kiss him when he landed on her arm.

🎯 Exam Tip: Focus on the specific interaction and the immediate consequence to clearly explain how one character troubled another.

Question 4. Where would the neighbours clothes be lying? Why?
Answer:
The neighbours clothes would be lying in the mud with no sign of pegs because Caesar would steal the pegs and take it to the writer's house.
In simple words: The neighbors' clothes would be in the mud because Caesar would steal the clothes pegs, causing the laundry to fall.

🎯 Exam Tip: Explain both the direct observation and the underlying reason to provide a complete answer for a "Where... Why?" question.

Reading Skills, Vocabulary And Grammar.

Simple Factual Questions.

Question 1. Match the columns.

Answer:

In simple words: This matching exercise connects vocabulary words to their definitions or related concepts, reinforcing understanding of key terms from the text.

🎯 Exam Tip: When matching, eliminate options you are sure about first to narrow down choices and then carefully consider the remaining pairs.

Complex Factual Questions.

Question 1. What dangers were likely to befall the young crow?
Answer:
The Young crow was in danger of being crushed by a cart or tonga or seized by a cat.
In simple words: The young crow faced dangers like being run over by vehicles or attacked by a cat.

🎯 Exam Tip: Identify specific threats mentioned in the story to answer questions about potential dangers to characters.

Question 2. To whom do these names refer?
1. Mabel
2. Caesar
Answer:
1. Mabel refers to the author's aunt.
2. Caesar refers to the young crow brought home by the author.
In simple words: Mabel is the author's aunt, and Caesar is the crow the author brought home.

🎯 Exam Tip: For character identification questions, clearly state the relationship or role of each named individual or animal in the story.

Vocabulary.

Question 1. Use prefix 'in'/'un' with any two words from the extract to make its antonymns.
1. kind
2. human
Answer:
1. unkind
2. inhuman
In simple words: This exercise requires adding prefixes 'un-' or 'in-' to given words to form their antonyms, demonstrating knowledge of word formation.

🎯 Exam Tip: Understand common prefixes and their meanings (like 'un-' for not, 'in-' for not or in/into) to effectively create antonyms and modify word meanings.

Question 2. Give verb forms.
1. little
2. inclination
Answer:
1. belittle
2. incline
In simple words: This task involves converting the given nouns or adjectives into their corresponding verb forms.

🎯 Exam Tip: Practice identifying different parts of speech and how words can transform, often with slight spelling changes, to serve different grammatical functions.

Question 3. Give one word for the following.
1. to come down
2. shining brightly
Answer:
1. alighted
2. gleaming.
In simple words: This question asks for single words that capture the meaning of the provided phrases, testing vocabulary recall.

🎯 Exam Tip: Expand your vocabulary by actively learning synonyms and concise terms for common phrases, which improves both comprehension and writing efficiency.

Grammar.

Question 1. He would sit for hours outside the window. (Rewrite using modal auxiliary of past ability.
Answer:
He could sit for hours outside the window.
In simple words: This task involves rewriting a sentence to express past ability using an appropriate modal auxiliary verb, such as 'could'.

🎯 Exam Tip: Understand the nuances of modal auxiliaries; 'would' often indicates habitual past action, while 'could' denotes past ability or possibility.

Question 2. I had also taught him to sit on my arm. (Pick out the infinitive..)
Answer:
to sit - infinitive.
In simple words: The infinitive in the given sentence is "to sit," which is the base form of the verb preceded by "to."

🎯 Exam Tip: Infinitives typically appear as 'to' followed by the base form of a verb and can function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs in a sentence.

Personal Response.

Question 1. Which two contrasting traits of Caesar does the passage highlight? Do all animals and birds have this?
Answer:
Caesar on one hand is a very snobbish and mischievous crow troubling the Hornbill and not mingling with other crows. But on the other hand, he comes across as a very loving bird greeting the writer and kissing him. Yes, I think all animals and birds have these contrasting traits just as we humans do. They are good to some people and mischievous with the ones who don't like them.
In simple words: Caesar shows contrasting traits of being snobbish and mischievous towards other birds, yet loving and affectionate towards the writer; these dual natures are common in many animals, mirroring human complexity.

🎯 Exam Tip: When analyzing contrasting traits, identify specific actions or behaviors that exemplify each side of the character's personality and provide clear examples from the text.

Simple Factual Questions.

Question 1. State whether the following sentences true or false.
1. Caesar often managed to snatch sweets from children.
2. An occasional sip of Grandmother's wine finally led to disaster.
Answer:
1. true
2. false.
In simple words: This true/false exercise checks understanding of key events: Caesar did steal sweets, but Grandmother's wine was not the cause of a disaster.

🎯 Exam Tip: For true/false questions, carefully read each statement and compare it precisely with the facts presented in the story to avoid misinterpretation.

Complex Factual Questions.

Question 1. Where did Caesar store his stolen goods?
Answer:
Caesar stored his stolen goods on top of the author's cupboard.
In simple words: Caesar kept all the items he stole on top of the author's cupboard.

🎯 Exam Tip: Answer specific detail questions directly from the text, ensuring the location or object mentioned is exact as per the narrative.

Question 2. Why did Grandmother’s blood pressure go up?
Answer: Watching Caesar steal combs, keys pens, pencils etc. from neighboring houses, Grandmother’s blood pressure went up.
In simple words: Grandmother's blood pressure rose because Caesar would steal items like combs, keys, and pencils from the neighbors' houses.

🎯 Exam Tip: Focus on understanding cause-and-effect relationships within the story to explain character reactions effectively.

Question 3. Where did the author bury him?
Answer: The authors dug a shallow grave in the garden and buried him there.
In simple words: The author buried Caesar in a shallow grave in the garden.

🎯 Exam Tip: Remember specific details of the plot, such as locations and actions, for direct recall questions.

Vocabulary.

Question 1. Give norm forms for the following.
1. restrict
2. fascinate
3. spy
4. refuse
Answer:
1. restriction
2. fascination
3. spy
4. refusal
In simple words: The norm forms are the noun or basic forms of the given verbs.

🎯 Exam Tip: Practice identifying different forms of words (noun, verb, adjective) to enhance vocabulary and grammar skills.

Question 2. Use 'spy' as a noun and verb in sentences.
Answer:
Noun - Vijay’s brother worked as a spy for FBI
Verb - It is a very sensitive matter to spy for one’s country.
In simple words: 'Spy' can be used as a person (noun) who gathers secret information or as an action (verb) of secretly observing.

🎯 Exam Tip: Understanding how a single word can function as different parts of speech is crucial for sentence construction and comprehension.

Grammar.

Grandfather and I washed and bandaged his leg and gave a sip of homemade wine. (Rewrite using 'Not only but also')
Answer: Grandfather and I not only washed and bandaged his leg but also gave a sip of homemade wine.
In simple words: This sentence combines two actions performed by Grandfather and the author using the 'not only... but also' structure to emphasize both.

🎯 Exam Tip: 'Not only... but also' is a correlative conjunction used to connect two grammatically equal elements and adds emphasis; ensure both parts are parallel in structure.

Personal Response.

Question 1. Do you think the author had any feelings when he found Caesar dead?
Answer: The expression "Poor Caesar!" by the author shows that he had a soft corner for Caesar. They both shared a loving relationship with Caesar welcoming the author back from school saying, 'hello, hello' and “Kiss, Kiss” by sitting on his arm and placing his head against the author’s mouth.
In simple words: Yes, the author felt affection for Caesar, evident from his expressions and their shared affectionate interactions like greetings and 'kisses'.

🎯 Exam Tip: Personal response questions require you to infer emotions and relationships based on textual evidence, using descriptive language.

Language Study.

Question 1. I dug a shallow grave in the garden. (End with '.......... by me')
Answer: A shallow grave was dug in the garden by me.
In simple words: This is a transformation from active voice to passive voice, shifting the focus from the doer to the action itself.

🎯 Exam Tip: To convert to passive voice, the object of the active sentence becomes the subject, the verb changes to 'to be' + past participle, and the original subject becomes the agent ('by me').

Question 2. He grew weaker day-by-day. (Make negative)
Answer: He didn’t grow stronger day-by-day.
In simple words: To make a sentence negative while retaining its meaning, use an auxiliary verb with 'not' and often an antonym of the original adjective.

🎯 Exam Tip: When making a sentence negative, ensure the meaning remains the same; this often involves using an antonym or a contrasting phrase.

Make sentence.

Question 1. to bring it round
Answer: The doctors put in their best efforts to bring the patient round.
In simple words: 'To bring it round' means to restore someone to consciousness or health.

🎯 Exam Tip: When making sentences with idioms or phrases, ensure the context clearly reflects the meaning of the phrase.

Question 2. to make oneself at home
Answer: I made myself at home in the new hostel room within few days.
In simple words: 'To make oneself at home' means to get comfortable and feel at ease in a new place.

🎯 Exam Tip: Use phrasal verbs correctly by understanding their idiomatic meaning and appropriate usage in a sentence.

Question 3. to tug at something
Answer: The beggar tugged at my sleeve asking for some money.
In simple words: 'To tug at something' means to pull it with a quick, forceful movement.

🎯 Exam Tip: Pay attention to prepositions used with verbs as they can change the meaning of the phrase significantly.

Question 4. to get rid off
Answer: I got rid off the old story books by giving them to the child next door.
In simple words: 'To get rid of' means to dispose of something or make it disappear.

🎯 Exam Tip: Ensure correct preposition usage; in this case, it's 'get rid *of*', not 'get rid *off*'.

Question 5. to find one's way
Answer: I found my way to the college on my own.
In simple words: 'To find one's way' means to successfully navigate or reach a destination.

🎯 Exam Tip: This phrase often implies independent action or problem-solving in reaching a goal.

Question 6. Caesar was joining us at mealtimes. (Identify the tense)
Answer: was joining - past continuous tense.
In simple words: The tense indicates an ongoing action in the past.

🎯 Exam Tip: Identify continuous tenses by the 'be' verb (was/were) followed by the -ing form of the main verb.

Question 7. He danced about on the dining table. (Change into present continuous tense.)
Answer: He is dancing about on the dining table.
In simple words: To change to present continuous, use 'is/am/are' followed by the -ing form of the verb.

🎯 Exam Tip: Remember the structure for present continuous tense: subject + is/am/are + verb-ing.

Question 8. Use the following phrases in sentence.
1. do your best
2. on the road to recovery
Answer:
1. My grandma tells me to do my best when I take up any task.
2. After the revaging floods, the state of of Kerala is on the road to recovery.
In simple words: 'Do your best' means to make the greatest effort possible, and 'on the road to recovery' means in the process of getting better after illness or difficulty.

🎯 Exam Tip: Ensure that the sentences you construct for given phrases are grammatically correct and convey the intended meaning of the phrase.

Writing Skills.

Question 1. Write a character sketch on Caesar.
Answer: Caesar was the author’s pet crow who had been brought home by him after an injury. Caesar, was typically wild with all his anti-social activities. He had made the life of his caretakers difficult. The other pets in the house too did not like him as he would not spare them as well. The fact that he did not mingle with other crows shows that he was too snobbish. He couldn’t be caged and so he made the most of the freedom that he got by troubling others.
He comes across as a hoarder who loved to amass various things ranging from essentials like toothbrushes and combs to false teeth. However, lying beneath this arrogant behaviour, was a layer of love and warmth for the writer whom he greeted with a ‘hello’ and a kiss. He was a good learner as he had learnt to say ‘hello’. But his own notorious action landed him in trouble and proved fatal when he was hit with a stick. In short, Caesar was a wild bird who loved to live a life on his own terms around the author’s house.
In simple words: Caesar was an injured crow adopted by the author, known for his mischievous, snobbish, and anti-social behavior, yet capable of showing affection towards the writer.

🎯 Exam Tip: A character sketch should describe both positive and negative traits, using examples from the text to support your points, and conclude with a summary of the character's essence.

Formative Assessment.

Question 1. Crows are very common to India. Gather some information about them.
1. Are crows intelligent?
2. Can you teach a crow to talk?
3. Are crows friendly?
4. Do crows have funerals?
Answer:
1. Crows are nearly as intelligent as ravens. They have a good memory for human faces and approach people differently.
2. Several crows can mimic human speech.
3. Crows are very social species and live in large extended family groups.
4. When a bird dies, crows gather squawking loudly and gathering as many other birds as they can find to come and look at the dead body.
In simple words: Crows are highly intelligent, capable of mimicking speech, social, and exhibit funeral-like gatherings for their dead.

🎯 Exam Tip: For research-based questions, provide concise and accurate information, listing each point clearly as requested.

A Crow in the House Summary in English

This extract revolves around a crow who was injured and lying on the road. He was picked up and taken home by the author and nursed back to health. How he became a pet as well as a pest in -w the family is seen in this lesson.

Introduction:

Ruskin Bond is an Indian author of British descent. He has made significant contribution to the growth of children’s literature in India. He was a recipients of 'Padmashri' in 1999 and 'Padmabhushan' in 2014. His works reflect his love for things in nature and his keen sense of observation. The present extract is from his book "Grandfather’s Private Zoo".

Glossary:

1. fluttering (v) - fly unsteadily
2. tonga (n) a light horse-drawn-two-wheeled vehicle used in India
3. prizing (v) use force to move apart
4. recovery (n) a return to a normal state of health
5. grubs (n) - the larva of an insect, especially a beetle
6. fidgeting (v) - to make small nervous movement of hands and feet
7. rip (v) - tear or pull something away forcibly
8. shreds (n) - torn strips or pieces of paper or cloth
9. ruin (n) - destruction
10. grumbled (v) - complain about something in a bad-tempered way
11. fierce (adj) - violent and aggressive
12. contemptuous (adj) - showing disregard
13. squabble (v) - to quarrel noisily over a small matter
14. gleaming (adj) - shining brightly
15. engaging (adj) - charming and attractive
16. spied (v) - to observe carefully and make out something
17. disaster (n) - tragedy
18. mend (v) - repair
19. flung (v) - threw
20. anti-social (adj) - contrary to the laws and customs of society
21. grave (n) - burying place
22. carrion crows (n) - crows feeding on dead or decaying flesh (and other garbage)