Poem - The Ant and the Cricket NCERT Solutions | English Class 8 PDF Download

Working with the Poem (Page 23)

Ques 1: The cricket says, “Oh! What will become of me?” When does he say it, and why?
 Ans: The cricket speaks these words when in his home he finds no food to eat in winter

Ques 2: (i) Find in the poem the lines that mean the same as “Neither a borrower nor a lender be” (Shakespeare).
Ans: The line is: But we ants never borrow; we ants never lend.

(ii) What is your opinion of the ant's principles?
Ans: The ant's principle is not bad. It teaches a lesson to everybody to plan for the rainy day.

Ques 3: The ant tells the cricket to “dance the winter away.” Do you think the word ‘dance’ is appropriate here? If so, why?
Ans: The word ‘dance’ here means ‘merry making and wasting time.’ It is appropriate here. The irresponsible cricket does not deserve any sympathy.

Ques 4: (i) Which lines in the poem express the poet's comment? Read them aloud.
Ans: The poet’s comment is expressed in the last two lines.
“Folks call this a fable, I’ll warrant it true.”

(ii) Write the comment in your own words.
Ans: People say that this story of the cricket and the ant is imaginary or a fable with a moral. But I think that the story is true and educative. Some people live only in the present. They spend what they earn, and make merry. But they regret this habit later on.

Ques 5: If you know a fable in your own language narrate it to your classmates.
Ans: The student can attempt this question himself. For reference purposes, a sample answer is given as follows: 

A Wolf couldn’t find food because the Shepherds were watching closely. One night, he found the skin of an old sheep. The next day, he wore it and walked among the sheep to fool the shepherds and the sheep. A little Lamb followed him, and the Wolf easily led it away to eat.

That night, the wolf stayed with the Sheep. But the shepherd decided he wanted lamb for dinner, grabbed a knife, and went to the fold. The first one he caught and killed was the wolf.