Class 9 English Poem Solutions| Poem 7: The Duck and the Kangaroo

 

Poem 7: The Duck and the Kangaroo

Class 9 English Beehive — Summary, Meanings, MCQs & Additional Q&A

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Summary (Assamese / সাৰাংশ)

'The Duck and the Kangaroo' বিখ্যাত কবি এডৱাৰ্ড লিয়াৰৰ দ্বাৰা ৰচিত এটি অতি আমোদজনক, কাল্পনিক আৰু হাস্যৰসাত্মক কবিতা (Nonsense Verse)। ইয়াত এটা হাঁহ (Duck) আৰু এটা কেংগাৰুৰ (Kangaroo) মাজৰ মধুৰ বাৰ্তালাপ আৰু তেওঁলোকৰ বন্ধুত্বৰ কাহিনী বৰ্ণনা কৰা হৈছে।

হাঁহটোৱে এটা সৰু আৰু লেতেৰা পুখুৰীত বাস কৰি আমনি পাইছিল। পুখুৰীৰ জীৱনটোক সি বৰ আমনিদায়ক বুলি ভাবিছিল আৰু কেংগাৰুটোৰ দৰে জপিয়াই জপিয়াই গোটেই পৃথিৱীখন ফুৰাৰ তীব্ৰ হাবিয়াহ কৰিছিল। সেইবাবে হাঁহটোৱে কেংগাৰুটোক অনুৰোধ কৰিলে যাতে সি তাক নিজৰ পিঠিত বহুৱাই পৃথিৱী ভ্ৰমণ কৰিবলৈ লৈ যায়। সি প্ৰতিশ্ৰুতি দিলে যে সি পিঠিত বহি একো আমনি নকৰে আৰু কেৱল 'কুৱেক' (Quack) বুলি শব্দ কৰিব।

কেংগাৰুটোৱে কথাটোত অলপ চিন্তা কৰিলে আৰু ক'লে যে হাঁহটোৰ তিতা আৰু ঠাণ্ডা ভৰি দুখনৰ বাবে তাৰ বা-বিষ (Rheumatism/Rheumatiz) হ'ব পাৰে। এই সমস্যা সমাধানৰ বাবে হাঁহটোৱে বুদ্ধি উলিয়ালে যে সি ইতিমধ্যে ৪ জোৰ গৰম ঊণৰ মোজা (worsted socks) আৰু ঠাণ্ডা খেদিবলৈ এটা গৰম চোলা (cloak) কিনি থৈছে। লগতে সি প্ৰতিদিনে এটা চিগাৰো খাব যাতে কেংগাৰুৰ ঠাণ্ডা নালাগে। হাঁহৰ এই প্ৰস্তুতি দেখি কেংগাৰুটো মান্তি হ'ল আৰু হাঁহটোক নিজৰ নেজৰ তেনেই আগত সন্তুলিতভাৱে বহুৱাই ল'লে। শেষত দুয়ো আনন্দৰে জপিয়াই জপিয়াই গোটেই পৃথিৱীখন তিনিবাৰ চক্কৰ মাৰিলে।

Word Meaning (English → Assamese)

English Word	Assamese Meaning (অৰ্থ)
Longing	তীব্ৰ ইচ্ছা / হাবিয়াহ
Hop	এভৰিয়াকৈ বা জপিয়াই জপিয়াই যোৱা
Nasty	লেতেৰা / অপৰিষ্কাৰ / বেয়া
Quack	হাঁহৰ মাত / কুৱেক-কুৱেক শব্দ
Reflection	গভীৰ চিন্তা-ভাৱনা / বিবেচনা
Rheumatiz	বা-বিষ বা বাত ৰোগ (Rheumatism)
Worsted socks	ঊণৰ সূতাৰে বোৱা গৰম মোজা
Cloak	গা-ঢকা ঢিলা ডাঙৰ চোলা
Web-feet	লগলগা ভৰি (হাঁহ বা ভেকুলীৰ দৰে)
Steady	স্থিৰ / সন্তুলিত / লৰচৰ নকৰাকৈ

Important MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions)

1. Who is the author of the poem 'The Duck and the Kangaroo'?

• (A) Robert Frost
• (B) Edward Lear
• (C) Gieve Patel
• (D) William Wordsworth

Answer: (B) Edward Lear

2. Where did the Duck live and feel bored?

• (A) In a beautiful river
• (B) In a nasty pond
• (C) In a big lake
• (D) In a sea

Answer: (B) In a nasty pond

3. What did the Duck admire about the Kangaroo?

• (A) His beautiful voice
• (B) His ability to swim
• (C) His hopping ability
• (D) His long tail

Answer: (C) His hopping ability

4. What request did the Duck make to the Kangaroo?

• (A) To give her some food
• (B) To give her a ride on his back
• (C) To teach her how to hop
• (D) To build a nest for her

Answer: (B) To give her a ride on his back

5. What objection did the Kangaroo raise?

• (A) The Duck was too heavy
• (B) The Duck’s feet were wet and cold
• (C) The Duck talked too much
• (D) He had no time

Answer: (B) The Duck’s feet were wet and cold

6. According to the Kangaroo, what disease could the Duck's feet cause?

• (A) Malaria
• (B) Rheumatiz (Rheumatism)
• (C) Cough and cold
• (D) Fever

Answer: (B) Rheumatiz (Rheumatism)

7. How many pairs of worsted socks did the Duck buy?

• (A) Two pairs
• (B) Three pairs
• (C) Four pairs
• (D) Five pairs

Answer: (C) Four pairs

8. What else did the Duck buy to keep the cold away besides socks?

• (A) A blanket
• (B) A cloak
• (C) An umbrella
• (D) A cap

Answer: (B) A cloak

9. Where did the Kangaroo ask the Duck to sit?

• (A) On his head
• (B) On his pouch
• (C) At the end of his tail
• (D) On his shoulders

Answer: (C) At the end of his tail

10. How many times did they hop around the whole world?

• (A) Only once
• (B) Twice
• (C) Three times
• (D) Four times

Answer: (C) Three times

Additional Questions & Answers

Short Answer Type (20–30 words)

Q1. Why did the Duck feel unsatisfied with her life in the pond?

The Duck felt her life was highly boring and limited inside the "nasty pond." She longed to go out, explore the vast world, and hop around freely just like the Kangaroo.

Q2. What arrangements did the Duck make to keep the Kangaroo comfortable?

To address the Kangaroo's worry about the cold, the Duck bought four pairs of warm worsted socks for her web-feet, a cloak to wear, and planned to smoke a cigar daily.

Q3. How did the Kangaroo instruct the Duck to sit during the journey?

The Kangaroo asked the Duck to sit perfectly still and steady at the very end of his tail so that he could maintain his balance properly while hopping.

Long Answer Type (100–120 words)

Q1. Bring out the theme of mutual respect and true friendship from the poem 'The Duck and the Kangaroo'.

The poem beautifully conveys that true friendship thrives on mutual respect, understanding, and finding solutions together. The Duck has a strong desire to see the world but accepts her limitation of not being able to hop. She politely requests the Kangaroo for help. Instead of rejecting her flatly, the Kangaroo shares his genuine concern regarding her cold feet causing him rheumatism.

The Duck shows foresight and deep care for her friend by instantly offering solutions—buying socks, a cloak, and a cigar. Seeing her dedication, the Kangaroo happily agrees. This shows that when friends listen to each other's problems and cooperate, they can overcome any hurdle and enjoy life together.

Q2. How does Edward Lear use humor and imagination in this poem? Explain with examples.

Edward Lear is a master of nonsense verse, and this poem is a brilliant example of slapstick imagination and humor. The very idea of a Duck riding on a Kangaroo’s tail to tour the world is profoundly funny. Humor is heightened when the animals speak in sophisticated human terms, discussing medical problems like 'Rheumatiz.'

Furthermore, the image of a Duck wearing four pairs of woollen socks, wrapping herself in a cloak, and smoking a cigar while balancing on a Kangaroo's tail is pure comic genius. Lear uses rhythmic language, fun rhyming words (like pond-beyond, pale-tail), and light-hearted situations to create an entertaining and joyful imaginary world.