Animals Class 10 Worksheet English Chapter 1

Q.1. Explain the satisfaction that animals have and humans don't. Discuss in the context of poem Animals.

Animals do not have the desire to possess worldly things. Whereas, the more humans own, the more their desire to own grows, leaving them dissatisfied forever. The absence of this greed in animals keeps them satisfied.

Q.2. What conclusion does the poet come to at the end of the poem?

The poet says that he as a human being must have lost those virtues that only animals now possess, sometime in the past.

Q.3. Why do animals not weep for their sins? Discuss in the context of poem Animals.

Animals do not weep for their sins because they do not need to do so. They are innocent creatures that commit no sins. Humans weep while committing sins. Animals lead their lives in a simple and pure way so there is no need for them to cry over their misdeeds.

Q.4. What does the poet wish to do at the beginning of the poem?

The poet wishes he could transform and become one with animals.

Q.5. What according to you should be the virtues that humans should possess?

Human beings should be gentle not only to their own kind but also to everyone and everything. Virtues such as kindness bring along other important values like innocence and honesty that together make the world a better place to live. The lack of such values results in a corrupt society where people commit sins and weep over them in the dark. This situation makes them dissatisfied and unhappy in life. Human beings probably had these virtues in them but along with civilisation processes, they have left them behind and adopted greed and cunningness.

Q.6. Why do you think the poet has called the desire to own things, a mania? Is the poet right in doing so? Write your own views. (Animals)

Acquisition of materialistic things is a rat race in which human beings keep running continuously. There is no end to greed. The poet uses words such as ‘demented’ and ‘mania’ for never-ending desires of human beings to own things. The more we get, the more greedy we become. The words ‘demented’ and ‘mania’ shows that the poet is comparing these desires to madness as people are madly trying to acquire more and more, never feeling satisfied. Animals are better off according to the poet as they do not fall into the mad race of acquiring more and more. They are free from sins, worries and complaints. In order to gain more wealth, all the important values such as morality and kindness are left behind.

Q.7. Why does the poet want to ‘turn and live’ with animals?

The poet expresses his desire to change and be with the animals because they are very mild and content. They are not anxious about anything nor do they complain about anything. They do not spend sleepless nights repenting over their sins nor discuss their duty to God. None of them is dissatisfied nor crazy over possessing things. No animal shows submission to another nor does he show respect and honour to those of his kind that lived thousands of years ago. Not a single animal is dissatisfied or unhappy. The poet learns these virtues from animals which they openly express. At the end the poe wonders where they got these virtues from and concludes that he, as a human being, also may have possessed these qualities thousands of years ago. In his quest for civilization human beings have lost these beautiful virtues that animals still possess. And therefore he wishes to turn and live with animals.

 
Q.8. What does the poet mean by, “Not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth”?

The poet means that animals do not pray to God or to ancestors and all of them are equal. Hence, no one is more respectable than the other. The good values of animals and the lack of social conventions make them happy.

Q.9. Do humans kneel to other humans who lived thousands of years ago?

Yes, many communities of humans follow the practice of worshipping saints and sages, who lived thousands of years ago. They lead an exemplary life of high moral values and therefore reflect the image of 'God Almighty' and are worshipped by generations of humans. They worship them by kneeling in front of their portraits and holding religious sermons and ceremonies in their memory.

Q.10. The poet in the poem Animals’ laments the loss of certain values on the part of human beings, whereas animals seem to have retained them and are self contented. Analyse the cause of degeneration of values in today’s hard times.

In the modern civilised world, human beings have achieved a lot of material values but have lost their real virtues. The more developed and modern human beings become, the more they lose the essence of their characters. Animals, meanwhile, never adapted to any material goods and always remained natural. This natural aspect of animals has helped them maintain their values. Humans, in order to possess more and more, have forgotten kindness and innocence.