Animals - Extra Questions
Animals - Extra Questions
Animals - Extra Questions
Home » CLASS 10 ENGLISH • LEARN ENGLISH » Chapter-7.1 Animals- Extra Questions and Notes
Animals is one of the Poem taken from First Flight. It is well explained through Animals
Introduction, Message from the chapter Animals, Theme, Title, Characters in the lesson Animals,
Summary in English Animals, Summary in Hindi, Word meanings from Animals, complete lesson in
Hindi, Extracts, Long answers, Short answers, Very short Answers, MCQs of the lesson Animals
and much more.
Extra Questions, Notes, Assignment and study material for Class 10th as Per Latest
CBSE Syllabus
Animals
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Walt ‘Whitman was an American poet, essayist and journalist. He was born on 31
May 1819 in New York. He died on 26 March 1892. ‘Leaves of Grass’ 0 Captain! My
Captain!’ and ‘Song of Myself’ are some of his great works. The present poem
‘Animals’ written in free verse, is one of the poems published in ‘Leaves of Grass’.
INTRODUCTION
In this poem the poet, Whitman compares man to animals. He nds that man lacks
many virtues that animals have. The poet says that he feels more at home with
animals than human beings since they are sel sh, false and always dissatis ed,
while the animals are unsel sh, true and more satis ed. They show their love
for us.
The poet Walt Whitman tells frankly that he feels more comfortable and at home with animals rather than his
fellow human beings. He has lost so much faith in the race of man that he wants to `turn’ and change his
position with animals. Human beings have become mad running after material possessions. They are a bundle
of complications, contradictions and confusions. Their
conscience is not clear and so they su er from nightmares
and weep for their sins. Animals, on the other hand, are
calm, self-contained and contented. They don’t run after
material things other than their food. They don’t need to
worship God as they never su er from any sense of guilt
or sin. Ancestors of human beings shared those tokens of
love and understanding in the remote past. Unfortunately,
humans have lost those virtues and tokens of love and
understanding completely forever.
Style
Like the best poetry of Walt Whitman, the poem ‘Animals’ is also written in irregular verse or the blank verse.
This poem re ects Whitman’s ‘animism’. It is the spirit of animals that are meant to re ect the truth in
humanity. He respects animals because they have retained those values and `tokens’ which humans seem to
have already lost.
DETAILED SUMMARY
In this poem, the poet, Whitman compares man to animals. He nds that man lacks many virtues that animals
have. The poet desires to live among the animals because they are calm and self-con dent. They are well
contented. They do not sweat and complain about their condition like human beings. They do not possess the
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2. Animals don’t Sweat and Whine: Human beings are never satis ed with their condition. They are always
demanding. Animals never worry themselves about their condition. Nor do they ever complain. They have a
clear conscience. They enjoy a sound sleep at night. They never have to weep for their sins. On the other hand,
humans su er from a guilty conscience. Their misdeeds trouble their souls and they never enjoy a sound sleep
at night. They weep over their sins and misdeeds and shed tears on them at night. Human beings pretend to
show their love, faith and duty to God. Such pretentious and false worship make the poet sick. Animals never
do such pretensions. They never display their love and duty to God. Actually, such issues are meaningless to
them.
3. Animals Don’t Su er from Mania of Owning Things: The poet doesn’t nd even a single animal that may
appear to be dissatis ed. There is no animal which su ers from the madness of possessing things. On the
other hand, humans are never satis ed. They are competing with one another in the mad race for material
possessions.
4. No Respect for Ancestors: No animal shows respect by kneeling down to another animal. Nor do they show
any respect to the ancestors of their race. These are the pretensions of human beings and not that of animals.
No one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth for them.
5. Poet Accepts Animals: Animals are straight forward. They show their relations to the poet. The poet
responds to them positively too. He accepts them as they are. They have retained all those virtues which the
ancestors of the human race shared with them in the past. Animals show those ‘tokens’ still in their possession.
Unfortunately, humans had lost those virtues much earlier. The poet wonders how animals still retain them.
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7. They don’t su er from the mania or madness of owning and possessing things.
8. They don’t fall down on knees to show respect to others.
9. Thousands of years ago, the ancestors of human beings possessed the qualities of love and kindness.
10. Men have lost those ‘tokens’ of love but animals still retain them.
11. Human beings are confused, greedy and overambitious while animals are not.
SUMMARY IN HINDI
इस किवता म किब िवहाटमेन मनु की तुलना पशुओ से करता है बह पाता है की मनु ो म उन ब त से घुड़ो का अभाव है जो पशुओ म
होते है किब पशुओ के बीच म रहना चाहता है ोिक बह सां त और आ िवशवाश से पूण होते है बे पूणतया संतु होते है बे पसीना नहीं
बहाते है और मनु ो की तरह अपनी इ िथ के बारे म कभी िशकायत नहीं करते है उनमे ब ुओ का सं ह करने का उ ाद नहीं होता
है .िकसी पशु को अपने जैसे दू सरे पशु के सामने झुकना नहीं पढता है बे सभी सामान है और संतु रहते है किब की ब त इ ा है िक बह
पशुओ से सीखे उनमे िकसी कार का बनाबटी पन नहीं होता है किब उनके गुढ़ से ब त अिधक भािभत है बह उनसे सीखना चाहता है
यधिप उसने इन गूढो को लापरवाही से टाल िदया था.
COMPREHENSION OF STANZAS
Read the following stanzas and answer the questions that follow :
STANZA 1
Questions :
Answers :
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STANZA 2
They do not lie awake in the dark and weep for their sins,
Questions:
(b) Who lies awake in the dark and weep for their sins?
Answers :
(b) People lie awake in the dark and weep for their sins.
(c) Men make the poet sick by discussing their duty to God.
STANZA 3
Questions :
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(b) What is the attitude of human beings about those who lived thousands of years ago?
Answers :
(b) They kneel to the images of those who lived thousands of years ago.
STANZA 4
Did I pass that way huge times ago and negligently drop them?
Answers :
(b) These ‘tokens of myself’ are the love and a ection of the animals towards the poet.
(c) The main point here is the di erence between humans and animals.
(d) The poet wonders how the animals got those tokens of love and a ection.
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(e) The poet accepts that the animals are related to him.
I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self-contain ‘d,
Word-Meaning: Tttrn— Change into, Placid— calm, Self-contained— self-satis ed, not dependent on others,
Paraphrase
The poet wants to change places. He wants to be converted to an animal from a human being. He wants to
leave the company of men and start living with animals. Animals are so calm and self-satis ed. He is so much
impressed with animals that he stands and goes on looking at them for a long time.
Questions:
Answers:
(b) He is fed up with human beings and loves to live with animals for their noble qualities.
(d) He is so impressed with animals that, he looks at the ‘long and long’.
They do not lie awake in the dark and weep for their sins,
Word-Meaning: Sweat— sweat after working hard, Whine— complain Mattingly/crying, Awake— don’t sleep,
Sins— wrong deeds,
Paraphrase
Animals never sweat unnecessarily. Nor do they cry over their (miserable) condition. They enjoy full sleep at
night. Their conscience is clear. They don’t weep over their sins keeping awake the whole night. They don’t
make anyone (poet) sick by discussing their duty to God.
Questions:
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Answers:
(a) They never feel miserable at their condition but remain contented.
(c) Human beings keep awake weeping over their sins and misdeeds.
(d) Animals don’t discuss what is their duty towards God and don’t make others sick by doing so.
Not one is dissatis ed, not one is demented with the mania of owning things,
Not one kneels to another, nor to his kind that lived thousands of years ago,
Word-Meaning: Demented— mentally sick, Kneels— bends down on knees, Mania— Obsession, madness,
Paraphrase
All animals are satis ed with their lot. No one is dissatis ed. No animal has the mania of collecting things.
Animals don’t get mad in the race of owning things like humans. They don’t kneel down to show respect to
others or to those who were born thousands of years ago. No animal considers himself more respectable than
others (like human beings). Nor can you nd any animal on this whole earth who is unhappy over his lot.
Questions:
(b) What is the mania that humans are demented with? Do animals su er from this mania?
Answers:
(b) Animals don’t su er from the mania of collecting things like human beings.
(c) No, they don’t kneel down to show respect to their ancestors.
(d) They don’t su er from their in ated egos like human beings.
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They bring me tokens of myself, they evince them plainly in their possession.
Paraphrase
Animals keep on showing and cementing their relations to the poet. The poet accepts those relations with
them happily. They provide all token of noble virtues that are present in the poet. They show that they possess
all these virtues in plenty.
Questions:
Answers:
(b) Yes, the poet accepts his relations with animals happily.
(c) It means all those noble virtues that are present in the poet.
(d) They show all those noble qualities which humans possessed once but given up now.
Did I pass that way huge times ago and negligently drop them?
Word-Meaning: Tokens- symbols, Huge times ago— long-long ago, Negligently— carelessly,
Paraphrase
The poet wonders from where animals got those noble virtues and tokens of love. The path of noble virtues
which animals are still following even now, humans and the poet himself, have left negligently long-long ago.
Questions:
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Answers:
(a) The poet wonders how animals got those noble virtues and tokens of those noble qualities.
(b) Those tokens stand for all those noble virtues which are needed in mutual relationships.
(c) No, humans have lost all those ‘tokens’ of noble virtues.
(d) They lost the path leading to those noble virtues long ago, negligently.
(C) never weep for their sins (D) all of the above
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They do not lie awake in the dark and weep for their sins,
(b) He does so because the animals never complain about their problems, and they never hold grudges, unlike
human beings. The poet thus prefers animals to humans.
(a) Who does the phrase ‘Not one’ refer to in the extract?
(b) Whom does the poet infer from the last line as ‘unhappy’ creatures?
(c) What does ‘demented with the mania of owning things’ — imply?
Did I pass that way huge time ago and negligently drop them?
Ans. The poet wishes to turn from human beings and live with animals.
Ans. The animals appear calm, peaceful and self-con dent to the poet.
Ans. The animals do not sweat and complain about their condition.
Ans. The men make the poet sick by discussing their duty to God.
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Q.7. What is the attitude of human about those who lived thousands of years ago?
Ans. They kneel to the images of those who lived thousands of years ago.
Ans. These ‘tokens of myself’ arc the love and a ection of the animals for the poet.
Ans. Whitman wishes to live with the animals because he nds them very peaceful and self-con dent.
Ans. The poet stands and looks at the animals long and long.
1. Why does the poet show a preference for living with the animals?
Ans. The poet says that it is better to live with animals as they show tokens of goodness. They are peaceful,
self-contained and happy. Animals show innate goodness which is lacked in human beings. Animals do not
grumble about their lives, cry over their sins.
2. What is the relevance of ‘tokens’ in the poem ‘Animals’? Who brings them to the poet?
Ans. Animals show tokens of goodness. They are self-contained, peaceful, thankful and happy creatures.
Animals are not unhappy and indeed, bring out tokens of man’s good nature lost long ago. Animals do not
grumble about their lives.
Ans. The central idea of the poem is the di erence between human beings and animals. While they both were
initially similar in their innate goodness, the man had lost it over the years, while animals remain the same.
They show these tokens of goodness — peaceful, self-contained and happy, and compel the poet to
contemplate on man’s lost goodness.
Q.4. How are animals better than humans, according to the poet?
Ans. According to the poet, the animals are more humane than humans. They have no such bad qualities as
humans have. In their world, all are happy, equal and content. They show their relations to the poet and he
accepts them.
Or
What is the Central Idea of the poem ‘Animals’? [H.B.S.E. March 2017 (Set-D)]
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Ans. The theme/Central idea of the poem is the superiority of animals life over to human beings. The poet,
Whitman, compares animals with human beings. He nds animals far better than human beings. The poet nds
the reasons for human su ering. Human beings are always dissatis ed. All their actions are with a sel sh
motive. But animals are far-far away from these bad qualities. So the poet wishes to turn and live with the
animals.
Q.6. Why does the poet want to live with animals? [S.B.S.E. March. 2017 (Set-B)]
Ans. The poet thinks that animals are very peaceful and self-con dent. They do not complain about their
condition. They don’t weep for their sins. That is why; he wants to live with the animals.
Q.7. What is the di erence between animals and humans regard their attitude to their condition, sins and
God?
Ans. Human beings cry about their condition. They lie awake at night in the dark and weep for their sins. They
make the poet sick by discussing their duty about God. But animals do not do any of these things. That is why
the poet likes them.
Q.8. How are animals di erent from humans about owning things or kneeling to one another?
Ans. Human beings are mad about possessing things. But animals do not care for possession. It is madness
only for humans. They do not kneel to others as humans do. For them all are equal.
Ans. The poet is fed up living in the world of humans. They are always confused. They are arrogant. They don’t
have a clear conscience and weep over their sins throughout the night. On the other hand, animals are
contented, calm and possess all the ‘tokens’ of virtue that humans have given up. So, he wants to exchange
places and live with animals.
Ans. Animals possess all the noble virtues that are necessary for an ideal living. They are contented and never
complain about their fate. They are independent and don’t show unnecessary respect for their ancestors or to
their fellow beings. They are not sel sh and don’t su er from the mania of possessing and owning things. So,
he is highly impressed with animals.
Q11. Why do humans keep awake in the dark and weep for their sins while animals never do such things?
Ans. Animals have a clear conscience. They are not confused or muddle-headed. Humans are ambitious, greedy
and su er from the mania of possessing and owning things. Their sins and misdeeds don’t allow them to enjoy
a sound sleep at night. They weep over their sins.
Q12. Why do animals don’t kneel down to their fellow beings or ancestors? How do humans react to
them?
Ans. Animals don’t show unnecessary respect to their fellow beings and to their ancestors. They don’t indulge
in such unnecessary civilities and formalities. On the other hand, humans express their respect not only to
their ancestors but also to their fellow beings. They have a tendency to indulge in unnecessary civilities and
decencies.
Q13. Why does the poet say “They bring me tokens of myself”? What are those `tokens’?
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Ans. There was a time when both humans and animals possessed noble virtues of love, peace, contentment
and, simplicity. With the passage of time, humans gave up all such tokens of noble virtues. They indulged in
greed, arrogance and the mania of possession. The road of noble virtue, which humans and the poet himself,
left long ago, is still followed by animals. They are contented, humble and free from the burden of conscience.
They remind the poet of those noble qualities which he has lost.
Q14. How have humans dropped those `tokens’ which are plainly in the `possession’ of animals?
Ans. Those tokens of love, sympathy and contentment which humans shared with animals at one time, have
been `negligently’ dropped by humans. Greed, overambition, arrogance, confusion and vulgarity took the
place of those ‘tokens’ which humans once shared with animals.
Q15. What is the message that Walt Whitman wants to give to the readers through this poem?
Ans. There is nothing great about being humans. They have degraded themselves to the extent that animals
appear to be noble and superior beings in their comparison. No doubt, humans did possess those ‘tokens’ of
love, innocence, simplicity, contentment and independence. But they have given up such ‘tokens’ long ago.
Animals still share those noble virtues and appear to be nobler than humans.
Ans. The animals are superior to animals in that they are calm and contented. They commit no sin. They do not
run after wealth like a man. They never complain about their condition.
Ans. The animals are placid and self-contained. They are satis ed with their lot and never complain about it.
The poet is disgusted with living among human beings. So he wishes to live with animals because he likes
them.
Q18. They do not sweat and whine about their condition. Who are “they”? What are the things they do
not do?
Ans. “They” refer to animals. They do not sweat and complain about their condition.
Important Long/ Detailed Answer Type Questions- to be answered in about 100 -150 words each
1.”Human beings are called the most civilised species in the entire world. But sometimes they lack the
values which are better exhibited by the animals.” Elucidate the statement with reference to the poem,
‘Animals’.
Ans. Human beings are called the most civilised species in the entire world. But sometimes, they lack the
values which are better exhibited by the animals. Human beings lack the qualities of being respectable, happy,
contented and peace-loving which is still re ected in animals. Animals do not grumble about their lives, lie
awake at night, cry over their sins or discuss their duty towards God as humans do. Animals do not have a
mania for “owning things”, nor do they kneel before others like humans. Moreover, the tokens of goodness,
love, respect and happiness have been dropped by human beings.
2. The poem, `Animals’ tells us that civilisation has made humans false to their own true nature. Which
values will help you revive your basic nature?
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Ans. In the race of human civilisation, humans have lost their own nature. The men have Dist their innate
goodness over the years. They have become sel sh, jealous, restless, unhappy, cribbing and grumbling
creatures. They grumble about their lives, lie awake at night, cry over their sins and discuss their duty towards
God. In a race to earn more luxuries and comfort. they have lost their sound sleep. They have become unhappy
and most of the time unable to enjoy even small joys and happiness in life. On the contrary, animals are
peaceful, self-contained, thankful and happy creatures. They are not unhappy and indeed bring out tokens of
man’s good nature lost long ago, when he possessed qualities like love, respect, contentment and happiness.
3. How is the poem, ‘Annuals’, a contrast between humans and animals? (100-120 words)
Ans. Humans can be described as sel sh, jealous, restless, unhappy, cribbing, and grumbling creatures. In
contrast, animals are peaceful, self-contained, thankful and happy creatures. They do not grumble about their
lives, lie awake at night, cry over their sins or discuss their duty towards God as humans do. Also, they don’t
have a mania for “owning things”; nor do they kneel before others. Animals, on the whole, are not unhappy
and indeed bring out tokens of man’s good nature lost long ago, when he possessed qualities like love,
respect, contentment and happiness.
4.” The more I know of humans the more I love my pet.” With reference to the poem, `Animals’, elaborate
the statement.
Ans. Whenever the poet thinks about animals, he has a feeling of being one among them. The lost human
qualities of being respectable, happy, contented, and peace-loving could be still found re ected in animals.
They don’t whine about their condition; nor do they cry for their sins. They don’t make others sick by discussing
their duty to God, are not dissatis ed nor have the craze to own things. They may not be respectable, but they
de nitely do not kneel before others or be unhappy as a whole. For the poet, they bring the tokens of human
qualities like love, respect, contentment and happiness, which they themselves exhibit plainly. He thinks that
perhaps the animals possessed these qualities naturally. The poet also wonders whether these tokens could
have been negligently dropped by humans long ago. Whatever the case may be, while thinking about the
overwhelming negativity of human beings, anyone may start loving his pet all the more
Q5. Why is the poet so much impressed with animals that he wants to change sides and wishes to live
with them?
Ans. The poet feels that humans have degraded themselves beyond redemption. Nothing great has been left
with human beings. He is fed up with their behaviour and wants to escape from the world of humans. No
doubt, humans were not so bad at one time. They shared ‘tokens’ of love, sympathy, contentment and
innocence with animals. However, the spirit of greed, overambition, and arrogance overpowered them. They
gave up the path of virtue and the ‘tokens’ of love and sympathy. They are confused. The burden of their sins
and misdeeds lies heavy on their hearts and souls. On the other hand, animals still maintain the old virtues left
by man long ago. They are contented, self-su cient, simple and free from confusions and the burden of sins
and misdeeds. So, the poet wants to change sides and wants to be a part of the animal world.
Q6. What are those ‘tokens’ and how animals have maintained them while humans have left them long
ago?
Ans. The poet says that animals bring to him the `tokens’ of himself. Actually, these tokens stand for all that is
good in behaviour and mutual relationships. These are the `tokens’ of love, sympathy, contentment, honesty
and innocence. There was a time when both animals, as well as humans, possessed those tokens of noble
virtues. But then humans degraded themselves. While animals continued walking on the road leading to those
tokens of noble virtues. Humans have led astray and followed the wrong path of life. They gave up
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contentment, innocence, simplicity and love. Dissatisfaction, unrest, the burden of sins and misdeeds, greed,
overambition and arrogance overpowered humans. Sadly enough, humans have left the virtuous path of life.
On the other hand, animals have not corrupted and degraded themselves to that extent. Their ‘tokens’ of
virtuous living reminds the poet that he must arouse those lost values again. For this, he will have to change
sides and join the world of animals.
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