Gujarat Board GSEB Class 8 English Textbook Solutions Honeydew Poem 1 The Ant and the Cricket Textbook Exercise Important Questions and Answers, Notes Pdf.

Gujarat Board Textbook Solutions Class 8 English Honeydew Poem 1 The Ant and the Cricket

GSEB Class 8 English The Ant and the Cricket Text Book Questions and Answers

Working With The Poem

Question 1.
The cricket says, “Oh! What will : become of me ?” When does he say it, and why ?
Answer:
The cricket said the given line when it found that its cupboard was empty and winter had arrived. It could not find a single crumb to eat on the snow covered ground and there were no flowers or leaves on the : tree. It wondered what would become of it because it was getting cold and since there was nothing to eat, it would starve and die.

Question 2.
(i) Find in the poem the lines that mean the same as “Neither a borrower nor a lender be” (Shakespeare).
Answer:
The lines in the poem that mean the : same as “Neither a borrower nor a lender ! be” are ‘But we ants never borrow; we ants ; never lend.’

(ii) What is your opinion of the ant’s principles ?
Answer:
I agree with what the ant says first that one should save something for the future so that one does not need to borrow. But I don’t agree with the ant’s principle of closing the door on a friend. If he says he is a friend of cricket then he should help the cricket at the time of distress, since I believe that a friend in need is a friend indeed.

Question 3.
The ant tells the cricket to “dance the winter away”. Do you think the word ‘dance’ is appropriate here ? If so, why ?
Answer:
The ant told the cricket to “dance the winter away” because when it asked the cricket what it did in the summers and why it had not stored any food for summers, the cricket answered that it sang through the warm and sunny months of summers. Therefore, in reply to this, the ant asked the cricket to ‘dance’ the winter away just like it ‘sang’ all through the summers. Though it seems a bit cruel on the part of the ant, the expression sounds apt in the context.

Question 4.
(i) Which lines in the poem express the poet’s comment? Read them aloud.
Answer:
The lines in the poem that express the poet’s comment are “Folks call this a fable. I’ll warrant it true.”

(ii) Write the comment in your own words.
Answer:
This comment by the poet means that this poem is indeed a fable as it had a moral behind it. The cricket did not have anything to eat during the winter because it did not bother to set aside some food during the summers. It was negligent and sang all through the summers. The ant, on the other hand, had built a nice home for itself and had built up a store of food so that it would not starve during the winters. It worked hard during summers to achieve this. Thus, the moral of the poem is to be prepared for the adverse times and always work hard instead of being negligent.

GSEB Class 8 English The Ant and the Cricket Additional Important Questions and Answers

Select the most appropriate options as answers and complete the following sentences:
Question 1.
The young cricket used to ………………..
A. dance through summer and spring.
B. sing all through summer and spring.
C. complain about his poor condition.
D. enjoy bathing in the heavy rain.
Answer:
B. sing all through summer and spring.

Question 2.
The cupboard of the ant was empty of ………………….
A. food.
B. woollen clothes.
C. fire-wood.
D. All of these three
Answer:
A. food.

Question 3.
What made the cricket visit the ant’s place ?
A. his cheerful nature.
B. his miserly nature.
C. starvation and famine.
D. Both ‘A’ and B’
Answer:
C. starvation and famine.

Question 4.
The young cricket went to the ant to ask for………………
A. clothes to keep away from cold.
B. shelter to protect himself from rain and cold.
C. food.
D. Both ‘B’ and ‘C’
Answer:
D. Both ‘B’ and ‘C’

Question 5.
When, according to the ant, should the cricket save food for himself?
A. in summer
B. in winter
C. in rainy season
D. when he is free.
Answer:
A. in summer

Answer the following questions in two to three sentences each:

Question 1.
What does the cricket symbolise in the poem ‘The Ant and the Cricket ?
Answer:
In the poem ‘The Ant and the Cricket’ the cricket symbolises the one who spends away one’s life in merry-making. He never cares for one’s responsibilities nor does he bother about the hard time he will have to face if he doesn’t work and save for the ; days to come.

Question 2.
Why does the cricket complain ?
Answer:
The cricket has spent the entire summer season by singing, dancing and merry-making. It has left the cricket bereft of food at the onset of winter. Now he is hungry and has no grain to eat and no shelter to save himself from dripping rain. This makes I him complain.

Question 3.
What has made the cricket bold ?
Answer:
The cricket’s merry-making in the gay season of summer has left him bereft of food at the onset of winter. This starvation and famine has made the cricket bold.

Question 4.
Why does the cricket go to the ant ?
Answer:
Because of not laying by any food in summer, the cricket is damned to face a I hard time of starvation and famine in winter season. Therefore, the cricket goes to the ant : to beg for shelter and food.

Question 5.
What does the ant tell the cricket ?
Answer:
The cricket begs for shelter and grain from the miserly ant in order to survive in the rough time of winter. But the ant clarifies to the cricket that ants neither borrow nor lend.

Question 6.
What does the ant ask the cricket ?
Answer:
Without having anything saved in the cupboard, the cricket helplessly goes to the miserly ant in the hope of borrowing some food and shelter. The ant then asks the cricket what he was doing in the summer times when he was supposed to save grain for future.

Question 7.
What is the ant’s suggestion to the cricket ?
Answer:
In reply of the ant’s question that what he was doing in summer times, the cricket tells that he was singing in the beautiful and charming weather of summer. So, the ant suggests the cricket now to indulge once again in dancing in the rough season of winter.

Question 8.
What is the lesson given by the poem to the mankind?
Answer:
Through the poem the lesson what has been delivered to the mankind is that we should lead happy moments but not by ignoring our future. Careful planning is essential for everyone and it ensures a secure future.

Answer the following questions in Jour to Jive sentences each:

Question 1.
Narrate the story of the ant and the cricket in about 50 words. What moral or message does it convey?
Answer:
The cricket was fun-loving. He enjoyed singing all through summer. He did not store any food for winter. Naturally the silly creature began to starve. There was only snow all around. He was wet. He decided to go to the ant to ask for help and shelter. He promised to repay the borrowed food on the next day. The ant told that they neither lend nor borrow. Since the cricket had been singing in summer, so should he dance the winter away.

The moral we learn from this poem is: We should enjoy our happy time, but should not ignore our future. Careful planning today ensures secure future tomorrow.

Question 2.
Bring out the central idea of the poem, ‘The Ant and the Cricket’.
Answer:
This poem conveys a very realistic message. It shows if one does not think for future, one is destined to suffer. The cricket, in the story, represents those human beings who are not wise enough to save for future.

Such poor fellows face very desperate situation as the cricket suffers. It is a humiliating ; situation. It makes them weak and morally down. But there are people like the ant who act wisely. They plan their life in such a way that they can lead their life happily forever. It is our real life. We should be like the ant; not like the cricket. It makes our life comfortable.

Question 3.
What is the difference between the attitudes of the cricket and the ant?
Answer:
The cricket’s merry-making chara-cteristic prompts him to lead a carefree life. The cricket is indulged in singing in the happy time of summer season. Eventually, he turns his back towards provisions for the future. And this irresponsible act of the cricket leads him to starvation and famine.

Here emerges the difference between the silly s young cricket and the ant as the cricket is compelled to go to the miserly ant for some help. Actually, ants by their inherent nature are very hardworking and miserly. Unlike the cricket, he spends the entire season in collecting food and arranging shelters for the future.

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

(1) A silly young cricket, accustomed to sing s Through the warm, sunny months of gay summer and spring,
” Began to complain when he found that, at home,
His cupboard was empty, and winter was come.

Not a crumb to be found
On the snow-covered ground;
Not a flower could he see,
Not a leaf on a tree.

“Oh! what will become,” says the cricket, “of me?”

Questions:
(1) What does the expression ‘sunny months mean?
Answer:
The expression ‘sunny months’ means l the months when the sun shines brightly. In cold countries, these months are summer and spring.

(2) Why is ‘Not a crumb to be found’?
Answer:
‘Not a crumb to be found’ because the entire land is snow-covered now and there is no possibility of grain to be found s on the land.

(3) What does the last line of this stanza suggest ?
Answer:
The last line of this stanza suggests that the cricket has not saved any grain to s eat in winter. He is greatly worried about what to eat’ when the entire land is snow-covered.

Question 2.
At last by starvation and famine made bold,
All dripping with wet, and all trembling with cold,
Away he set off to a miserly ant,
To see if, to keep him alive, he would ’ grant

Him shelter from rain,
And a mouthful of grain.
He wished only to borrow;
He’d repay it tomorrow;
If not, he must die of starvation and sorrow.

Questions:
(1) What was the condition of the cricket ?
Answer:
The cricket’s condition was pitiable. He was wet all over with snowfall and feeling terribly cold.

(2) What could keep the cricket alive?
Answer:
Only shelter and food could keep the cricket alive.

(3) What assurance did the cricket was ready to give?
Answer:
The cricket was ready to give assurance to the ant that if he gave him food that day, he would repay it the next day.

Question 3.
Says the ant to the cricket, “I’m your servant and friend,
But we ants never borrow; we ants never lend.
But tell me, dear cricket, did you lay nothing by
When the weather was warm?” Quoth the cricket, “Not I!
My heart was so light
That I sang day and night,
For all nature looked gay.”
“You sang, Sir, you say?
Go then,” says the ant, “and dance the winter away.”

Questions:
(1) What attitude of the ant is expressed by the words “I’m your servant and friend ?
Answer:
When the ant says, “I’m your servant and friend”, he seems to be Very polite. The high-sounding phrase turns out to be quite ironical in the light of the following out right rejection of help.

(2) What explanation did the cricket give to the ant’s query?
Answer:
The cricket, admitting his fault, explains that since the entire nature was pleasant, he was also cheerful. He did nothing else but sang day and night.

(3) What was the reaction of the ant to the cricket’s reply?
Answer:
Since the ant was hardworking and miserly by nature, he could not digest the ; merry-making attitude of the cricket and bluntly asked him that so far he wasted time in singing, now he should go and dance.

Question 4.
Thus ending, he hastily lifted the wicket, And out of the door turned the poor little cricket.
Folks call this a fable. I’ll warrant it true:
Some crickets have four legs, and some have two.

Questions:
(1) How did the ant behave with the cricket?
Answer:
The ant was greatly annoyed at the cricket’s reply. He hastily lifted the wicket and turned him out.

(2) What is this story of the ant and the cricket is called by people?
Answer:
People call this story a ‘Fable’.

(3) What does the last line of the poem suggest?
Answer:
This poem is symbolic. Here the cricket stands for a happy-go-lucky person, who lives in present and never thinks of planning for his future like the cricket. In fact, all crickets have four legs, but here ‘two legs’ are suggestive of man.

The Ant and the Cricket Summary in English

The Ant and the Cricket Summary:
The silly young cricket was fun-loving. He loved merry-making. He used to sing all through pleasant months of summer and spring. He didn’t bother to store food for the rainy season and cold winter. When the earth was covered with ice and snow, he found that he had nothing to eat. There were no flowers and no leaves on trees. He grew nervous. He could not suffer hunger anymore.

With the daring that comes along with desperation, he let off. Wet with rain and shivering with cold, the cricket went to a miserly ant in the hope of getting shelter and food. He assured the ant that he would return the borrowed grain the next day. But the ant said, “As a matter of principle, we ants never borrow nor lend.” He asked the cricket why he didn’t store anything for rainy days when the days were bright. The cricket admitted that he was careless and foolish not to do so. He enjoyed the beauties of summer and sang merrily. The ant, then, told him bluntly to go and dance all winter. He turned the poor cricket out.