Chapter 4

                                            WHO'S AFRAID OF THE CAT?


1. What is the title of the poem and what is it about?

Answer: The title of the poem is “Who’s Afraid of the Cat?” The poem is about some rats who run away when they see a cat. Later, they try to act brave but finally remember that the cat has sharp claws, which makes them afraid again.


2. What questions are asked in the warmer section?

Answer: In the warmer section, children are asked what things they are afraid of and what they do when they see a dangerous animal. These questions help children think about fear and safety.


3. What warning do the rats give when they see the cat coming?

Answer: When the rats see the cat coming, they shout, “Look, a cat is coming! Run for your life.” This shows their fear of the cat.


4. What sound does the cat make in the poem?

Answer: The cat makes the sound “Miaon! Miaon!”, which shows that the animal entering the scene is a cat.


5. Why does one rat call the others cowards?

Answer: One rat calls the others cowards because they are running away without thinking. He feels they should stop and not be afraid of the cat.


6. What similarities between the cat and the rats are mentioned?

Answer: The similarities mentioned are that both have tails and whiskers. This makes the rat think that they are just like the cat.


7. Why does the rat say there is no reason to be afraid of the cat?

Answer: The rat says there is no reason to be afraid because the cat looks similar to them and has features like tail and whiskers, just like the rats.


8. Why do the rats run again after stopping?

Answer: The rats run again because fear returns to them when they think about the cat more carefully.


9. What question is asked to the rats after they run?

Answer: They are asked, “Why did you run?”, which makes them think about their fear.


10. What important thing did the rat forget at first?

Answer: The rat forgot that the cat has sharp claws, which makes the cat dangerous.


11. Why do sharp claws make the cat dangerous?

Answer: Sharp claws can hurt or kill rats, so they make the cat a real danger.


12. What reaction do the rats show after remembering the claws?

Answer: They shout “Aaaa!” and laugh nervously with “Hee! Hee!”, showing fear mixed with embarrassment.


13. What does the word ‘cowards’ mean according to the glossary?

Answer: The word ‘cowards’ means डरपोक, people who are easily afraid.


14. What is the meaning of ‘whiskers’?

Answer: ‘Whiskers’ means गलमुच्छा, long stiff hairs near the mouth of animals like cats and rats.


15. What does the word ‘tail’ mean?

Answer: The word ‘tail’ means पूँछ, the long back part of an animal’s body.


16. What is the meaning of ‘sharp’?

Answer: The word ‘sharp’ means तेज या पैना, something that can cut or hurt.


17. What does ‘claws’ mean?

Answer:‘Claws’ means पंजा, the sharp nails of animals like cats and tigers.


18. What does the word ‘forgot’ mean?

Answer: The word ‘forgot’ means भूल गया था, not remembering something.


19. Why were the rats running in the beginning?

Answer: The rats were running because they saw a cat and were afraid it would harm them.


20. How does a cat speak according to the poem?

Answer: According to the poem, a cat speaks by saying “Miaon! Miaon!”.


21. What similarities do you notice between a rat and a cat?

Answer: Both rats and cats have tails, whiskers, and fur, which makes them look somewhat similar.


22. What made the rat feel afraid in the end?

Answer: The rat felt afraid in the end because he remembered that the cat has sharp claws.


23. Name some animals that have sharp claws.

Answer: Some animals with sharp claws are cat, tiger, lion, dog, and bear.


24. What lesson does the poem teach about fear?

Answer: The poem teaches that fear can be foolish if we do not think properly, but real danger should not be ignored.


25. Why is it dangerous to forget important details?

Answer: Forgetting important details can put us in danger, just like forgetting the cat’s claws made the rat careless.


26. What kind of behavior do the rats show at first?

Answer: At first, the rats show fearful and panicked behavior by running away.


27. What kind of behavior does one rat try to show?

Answer: One rat tries to show bravery and confidence, telling others not to be afraid.


28. Why does the poem use repetition of questions?

Answer: The repetition helps children understand the situation clearly and makes the poem interesting.


29. Why is the poem funny?

Answer: The poem is funny because the rats act brave at first but run again when they remember the claws.


30. How does the poem help children learn speaking skills?

Answer: The poem includes dialogue and sounds, which help children practice speaking and expression.


31. What message does the poem give about bravery?

Answer: The poem shows that true bravery comes from understanding danger, not ignoring it.


32. Why should we think before acting brave?

Answer: We should think before acting brave so that we do not put ourselves in danger.


33. What role does imagination play in the poem?

Answer: Imagination makes animals talk and think like humans, making the poem interesting.


34. Why is the cat compared to the rats?

Answer: The cat is compared to the rats to show similarities and make the rats feel falsely confident.


35. What makes the cat different from the rats?

Answer: The cat is different because it has sharp claws, which make it dangerous.


36. How does the poem teach children about safety?

Answer: The poem teaches children to be careful around dangerous animals and not ignore risks.


37. What kind of poem is ‘Who’s Afraid of the Cat?’

Answer: It is a humorous and moral poem with animals as characters.


38. Why do the rats laugh at the end?

Answer: The rats laugh because they realize their mistake and feel nervous about their fear.


39. What words show fear in the poem?

Answer: Words like Run, Aaaa, cowards, and sharp claws show fear.


40. Summarize the poem ‘Who’s Afraid of the Cat?’ in your own words.

Answer: The poem tells the story of rats who run away from a cat. One rat tries to act brave by saying the cat is just like them. But in the end, they remember the cat’s sharp claws and become afraid again. The poem teaches us to think wisely and not ignore danger.

Answer by Mrinmoee