Class 7 English Honeycomb Poem 8 Question Answers - Poem 8 - Meadow Surprises

Q1: Where can the velvety soft grass be found?
Ans: The velvety-soft grass can be found in meadows.

Q2: What AS the butterfly busy doing?
Ans: Butterfly seems to be busy in sucking nectar from flowers. It appears as if the butterfly uses a drinking straw to do so.

Q3: What turns into ‘airy parachutes’?
Ans: Petals of dandelion turn into airy parachutes.

Q4: 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
Ans:
(i) Velvet grass: The grass which is as soft as velvet.
(ii) Drinking straws: The long narrow tube by which butterfly gets nectar from the flower.
(iii) Meadow houses: habitats or home of animals like burrows in the ground, nests and ant’s mound.
(iv) Amazing mound: The amazing mound is a reference to the mound created by the ants as their dwelling place.
(v) Fuzzy head: Fuzzy head refers to the heads of the bright yellow flowers which have a beautiful texture.

Q5: Why is it difficult to. see a rabbit?
Ans: One is unable to spot a rabbit in the grass because it is sitting very still. Only when it hops, one will be able to see it.

Q6: How many ‘Meadow houses are discussed in the poem’?
Ans: Burrows in the ground meant for smaller animals, nests beneath the tall grass for birds and mounds for ants are the various houses that are characterized by the term, ‘meadow houses’. While exploring the meadows one can see all of these.

Q7: What distinct extraordinary gifts of nature are available in meadows?
Ans: Beautiful sights to velvety grass, butterflies sipping nectar, houses of various insects, birds and animals gives visual treat to the onlookers

Q8: Which line in the poem suggests that you need a keen eye and a sharp ear to enjoy a meadow?
Ans: “Oh! Meadows have surprises
And many things to tell.
You may discover these yourself
If you look and listen well.”

Q9: Meadows have surprises,
You can find them if you look;
Walk softly through the velvet grass,
And listen by the brook.
You may see a butterfly
Rest upon a buttercup
And unfold its drinjring’straws
To sip the nectar up.
Explanation
The meadow offers several surprises to the one who has as eager eye to look at the meadow. Walking on the soft velvety grass, the sound of the brook, a butterfly sipping nectar from the flowers, all such sights give immense pleasure.
(i) When can one explore meadows?
(ii) Why did the poet say ‘the velvet grass’?
(iii) What do butterflies do?
(iv) What are ‘drinking straws’ of a butterfly?
Ans:
(i) One can explore meadows if one observes
(ii) Why ala the poet say the veivet grass
(iii) What do butterflies do?
(iv) What are ‘drinking straws’ of a butterfly?

Q10: You may scare a rabbit
Who is sitting very still;
Though at first, you may not see him,
When he hops you will.
A dandelion whose fuzzy head
Was golden days ago
Has turned to airy parachutes
That flutter when you blow.
Explanation
Walking further on, one may find a rabbit hidden in the grass. One may not be able to see it instantly, but soon it would hop in front of you because it would be scared. A dandelion that was golden a couple of days ago would have also bloomed.
(i) When can a rabbit be seen?
(ii) Who can scare a rabbit?
(iii) What is the colour of a dandelion flower when it blossoms?
(iv) What are ‘airy parachutes’?
Ans:
(i) When a rabbit hops it cam be seen.
(ii) A rabbit can be scared by an intruder/ am onlookers.
(iii) Its colour is golden.
(iv) Airy parachutes are dry seeds that scatter with wind.

Q11: Explore the meadow houses,
The burrows in the ground,
A nest beneath tall grasses,
The ant’s amazing mound.
Oh! Meadows have surprises
And many things to tell;
You may discover these yourself,
If you look and listen well.
Explanation
One could find several houses in the meadows. There would be burrows in the ground, nests beneath the tall grasses, mounds for ants and so on. For every person there would be some or the other surprise.
(i) Who stays in burrows?
(ii) Where can nest be found?
(iii) Which insect make amazing mounds?
(iv) How can meadows beauty be discovered?
Ans:
(i) Rabbits stay in burrows.
(ii) A nest can be found beneath tall grasses.
(iii) Ants make amazing mounds.
(iv) The poet reassures that bounties of meadows can be discovered by onlooker with patience