NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Honeycomb Poem 8 Meadow Surprises

Meadow Surprises NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Honeycomb Poem 8

Meadow Surprises NCERT Text Book Questions and Answers

Meadow Surprises Working with the poem

Question 1.
Read the lines in which the following phrases occur. Then discuss with your partner the meaning of each phrase in its context.
i. velvet grass
ii. drinking straws
iii. meadow houses
iv. amazing mound
v. fuzzy head
Answer:
i. This refers to the soft grass that the person is walking on. It is so fresh and delicate that it appears that one is walking on the soft velvet fabric.

ii. This refers to the butterfly’s tongue which functions like a straw that sucks up the nectar from the flowers.

iii. The poet is referring to the small house that many animals make in the meadows such as the burrow of a rabbit, or a nest on tall grasses, and the mounds of the ants.

iv. The amazing mound refers to the anthill, or the house that ants make out of dirt and sand.

v. The fuzzy head refers to a dandelion with its threads that are fuzzy and soft and look like cotton.

Question 2.
Which line in the poem suggests that you need a keen eye and a sharp ear to enjoy a meadow? Read aloud the stanza that contains this line.
Answer:
The following line in the poem suggests that you need a keen eye and a sharp ear to enjoy a meadow:
Oh! Meadows have surprises And many things to tell;
You may discover these yourself, – If you look and listen well.

Question 3.
Find pictures of the kinds of birds, insects and scenes mentioned in the poem.
Answer:
(Encourage the students to find pictures of the kinds of birds, insects and scenes mentioned in the poem.)

Question 4.
Watch a tree or a plant, or walk across afield or park at the same time every day for a week. Keep a diary of what you see and hear. At the end of the week, write a short paragraph or a poem about your experiences. Put your writing up on the class bulletin board. (Encourage the students to complete the activity individually.)
Answer:
Sample answer: I walked across a garden at my friend’s house. It is a huge garden that has all kinds of flowers and plants that one can think of. The freshly cut grass gives off a mesmerizing smell, especially when it rains.

My friend’s mother has grown a vegetable garden on one side. One can catch the smell of fresh lemongrass, or cumin, and may other herbs in the garden. My favourites are the cherry tomatoes that she has grown. They stand out among all vegetables.

Among the flowers, there are daisies, marigolds; roses, jasmines and dahlia. There is a blast of colours at the flowers side of the garden. There all smell so good, and one can often see butterflies sitting on these flowers. I often try to catch one, but I am never able to do so.

They flutter away so quickly.
My friend says that he has seen glowworms at night in the garden, but I don’t believe him.
I will probably stay with him one day just to see if he is telling the truth.

The author and his new-found cyclist friend decide to go for a bicycle ride. But on the appointed day, he first offers to repair the author’s bicycle, and the rest goes bitterly downhill.