Working with the Poem
Q. 1. The cricket says, “Oh! what will become of me?” When does he say it, and why?
Ans. The cricket says these words during the winter season when his cupboard was empty and he had no food to eat, leaving him feeling famished.
Q. 2. (i) Find in the poem the lines that mean the same as “Neither a borrower nor a lender be.” (Shakespeare).
Ans. The following lines in the poem mean the same as in Shakespeare’s poem ………
“But we ants never borrow; we ants never lend.”
(ii) What is your opinion of the ant’s principles?
Ans. I think following the principles of ants can help us lead a good life. We shouldn’t make borrowing or lending money a habit as it can ruin our relationships with friends.
Q. 3. The ant tells the cricket ‘dance winter away.’ Do you think the word dance is appropriate here? If, so why?
Ans. I think the word ‘dance’ is appropriate here because it is used as a satire on the poor cricket who just spent his summer days leisurely without doing any work.
Q. 4. (i) Which lines in the poem express the poet’s comment? Read them aloud.
Ans. Folks call it a fable but “Some crickets have four legs, and some have two.”
(ii) Write the comment in your own words.
Ans. This means that even though the poem appears to be a story with animal characters, the ant and the cricket represent people and their habits. Specifically, some people are lazy like the cricket.
The Ant and the Cricket Poem Summary Meanings Explanation
The Ant and the Cricket Poem Extract Based Question Answer