Class 7 English Honeycomb Poem 4 Question Answers - Poem 4 - Chivvy

Q1: What is the negative impact of adults too much interference?
Ans: When the adult give too many instructions to their children, they kill their children’s spontaneity and willingness to use his/ her mind to understand life. These instructions rob away their innocence, making them dependent on their elders.

Q2: Discuss these questions in small groups before you answer them.
(i) When is a grown-up likely to say this?
Don’t talk with your mouth full.
(ii) When are you likely to be told this?
Say thank you.
(iii) When do you think an adult would say this?
No one thinks you are funny.
Ans:
(i) A grown up is likely to say so when the child is talking in the middle of a meal.
(ii) A child is likely to be told so when somebody has given him a gift or offered him something to eat.
(iii) An adult would say so when the child has done some mischief and is finding it funny and hence, annoying everybody else.

Q3: Why do you think grown-ups say the kind of things mentioned in the poem? Is it important that they teach children good manners, and how to behave in public?
Ans: he grown-ups say such kind of things to their children in order to teach them good manners. They want their children to be a responsible citizen and behave good in public. Yes, it is important to teach the children all these things so that they learn good manners and how to behave in the society, at home and with their elders and youngsters. Our elders are our teachers and we can learn a lot from their experience.

Q4: Why do you think adult keep on instructing always?
Ans: The adults keep on instructing always to make their children well acquainted with social manners. Habits can only inculcated in young age.

Q5: The last two lines of the poem are not prohibitions or instructions. What is the adult now asking the child to do? Do you think the poet is suggesting that this is unreasonable? Why?
Ans: The adult is now asking the child to think independently. The poet finds this entirely unreasonable * because the young child has not been trained to use his mind. He has only been trained to follow the instructions given by the adults.

Q6: If you had to make some rules for grown-ups to follow, what would you say? Make at least five such rules. Arrange the lines as in a poem.
Ans:
I would make rules like:
Don’t abuse anyone.
Respect elders and youngsters also.
Time will be allowed for playing.
Keep the neighbourhood clean.
Don’t smoke or spit.
Allow time for watching T.V No physical punishments.

Q7: Grown-ups say things like:
Speak up
Don’t talk with your mouth full
Don’t stare
Don’t point
Don’t pick your nose
Explanation
Grown ups are often seen as instructing or advising, these instructions are being issued by the adults to their young one. Speak up, don’t talk while your mouth is full of food and so on are just a few examples.
(i) Why do grown ups say ‘speak up’?
(ii) When a child is stopped talking?
(iii) What other bad habits often irritate elders?
(iv) What do you think is the purpose of elders behind these scolding?
Ans:
(i) Grown ups want the child to speak up to express himself.
(ii) A child is stopped from talking with his mouthful.
(iii) Elders snub when one is staring, pointing at somebody or while picking up nose.
(iv) The elders want to inculcate good habits in the young generation.

Q8: Pull your socks up
Stand up straight
Say thank you
Don’t interrupt
No one thinks you’re funny
Take your elbows off the table
Can’t you make your own
Mind up about anything?
Explanation
However, the adults around him continue to reprimand him. The child is unable to decide anything for himself. It’s quite ironical as the entire childhood of this child was spent blindly following the instructions.
(i) What is ‘pull your socks up’?
(ii) Why ‘standing up straight’ is important?
(iii) What does ‘Naone thinks funny’. Mean?
(iv) Explain ‘Make your own,mind’
Ans:
(i) It is a ‘preparation’ and getting ready for future.
(ii) It is to stand in proper posture rather than leaning against anything.
(iii) The child might be doing something which is funny for him but the elders feel it to be a stupid behaviour.
(iv) The elders insist the growing up child to take firm decision, at later stage in life. 

Q9: Sit up
Say please
Less noise
Shut the door behind you
Don’t drag your feet
Haven’t you got a hankie?
Take your hands out of
your pockets
Explanation
The elders exhibit dominance by hinting in everything. Each and every activity of the young child is administered and put under the surveillance of the grown-ups.
(i) Why do the adult find dragging feet annoying?
(ii) What does ‘saying please’ appeal?
(iii) ‘Take your hands out of your pockets’. Explain.
(iv) What is a ‘hankie’?
Ans:
(i) Dragging of feet is a game for a child but the clattering sound irritates the elders.
(ii) These attributes appeal for its humility.
(iii) Keeping hands in pocket while talking is considered as unruly.
(iv) Handkerchief.