NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Chapter 6 I Want Something in a Cage

Students those who are searching NCERT Solutions for Class 7 English Chapter 6 I Want Something in a Cage can refer to this article. This chapter contains many questions that are important for exams. Here we have provided answers to all these questions with a detailed explanation that help students to complete their assignments and homework.

Class 7 English Chapter 6 I Want Something in a Cage NCERT Questions and Answers

Comprehension Check (Page No. 38)

Question 1: Write ‘True’ or ‘False’ against each of following statements.

(i) Mr Purcell sold birds, cats, dogs and monkeys.
Answer: True

(ii) He was very concerned about the well-being of the birds and animals in his shop.
Answer: False

(iii) He was impressed by the customer who bought the two doves.
Answer: False

(iv) He was a successful shopowner, though insensitive and cold as a person.
Answer: False

Question 2. Why is Mr. Purcell compared to an owl?

Answer: Mr. Purcell compared to an owl because large glasses magnified his eyes which     gives him the appearance of a wise and genial owl.

Question 3. From the third paragraph pick out

(i) words associated with cries of birds,
(ii) words associated with noise,
(iii) words suggestive of confusion and fear.

Answer: (i) words associated with cries of birds: whispered, squeal, cheeps, twitter

(ii) words associated with noise: squeaks, rustling, stir, scampered

(iii) words suggestive of confusion and fear: blindly seeking, bewildered

4. “…Mr Purcell heard it no more than he would have heard the monotonous ticking of a familiar clock.” (Read para beginning with “It was a rough day…”)

(i) What does ‘it’ refer to?
(ii) Why does Mr Purcell not hear ‘it’ clearly?

Answer (i) ‘It’ refers to the chirping, squeaking and mewing of the birds and animals in the shop of Mr Purcell.

(ii) Mr Purcell not hear ‘it’ clearly because he heard it no more than he would have heard the monotonous ticking of a familiar clock.and pay no attention to it as it was a daily routine.

Comprehension Check (Page No. 42)

Question 1. Do you think the atmosphere of Mr Purcell’s shop was cheerful or depressing? Give reasons for your answer.

Answer: The atmosphere in Mr Purcell’s shop was dull and cheerless. The shop was full of movements of noising birds and pet animals. Mr. Purcell had become used to that noise. But the customer wondered how the owner put up with that noise.

Question 2. Describe the stranger who came to the pet shop. What did he want?

Answer: The stranger who came to the shop was wearing a cheap new suit. He was a prisoner earlier. He came to Mr Purcell’s shop and asked for “something in a cage”. He wasn’t clear about what he exactly wanted but it should have wings and should be in a cage.

Question 3. (i) The man insisted on buying the doves because he was fond of birds. Do you agree?

(ii) How had he earned the five dollars he had?

Answer: (i) No, the man insisted on buying the doves not because he was fond of birds. He just wanted birds in a cage.

(ii) He had earned five dollars he had in a prison where he had to work very hard. He used to get only 50 cents per year.

Question 4. Was the customer interested in the care and feeding of the doves he had bought? If not, why not?

Answer: No, the man had no love or liking for the doves. He did not mean to keep them as pets. So he paid no attention to what Mr. Purcell said about the feed and care of birds. Soon after stepping out of the shop, he freed the birds and dropped the cage.

Exercises

Discuss the following topics in groups.

Question 1. Why, in your opinion, did the man set the doves free?

Answer: In my opinion, I think that the man must had set the doves free because he himself had been in jail for ten years. He had sympathy for the birds and knew the pain of being imprisoned against the wishes. He wanted to see them flying and enjoy their freedom that is why he bought something with the wings. He wanted to smell the happiness of freedom from cages by setting the doves free.

Question 2. Why did it make Mr. Purcell feel “vaguely insulted”?

Answer: Mr. Purcell feel “vaguely insulted” the man bought the doves from Purcell’s shop for five dollars and then went outside to set them free. It was Mr. Purcell who had kept these birds in cage and restricted their freedom and the man spent his ten years income only to give the doves freedom, so he felt more insulted.