NCERT Exercise: Chapter 1. The Ant and the Cricket (Poem) 

1. The  cricket  say  become  of  me?”  When  does  he  say  it, and why?

Ans: The cricket said so when the winters came and he found no food to eat. He said so because he was starving and there was nothing to eat.

2.(i)Find in the poem the lines that mean the same as “Neither a borrow nor a lender be” (Shakespeare).

Ans: (i) “But we ants never borrow; we ants never lend.’’

(ii)What is your opinion of the ant’s principles?

Ans: Ant’s principles are completely right. Those who do not think ahead can never succeed in life. And if they are helped again and again they will never learn a lesson.

3.The ant tells the cricket to “r away”. Do you think the word ‘dance’ is appropriate here? If so, why?

Ans: The amt tells the cricket to ‘dance the winter away’. She used the word ‘dance’ in a sarcastic way. She asked the cricket to dance in winter as well.

4. (i)Which lines  the poet's comment? Read them aloud.

Ans: Folks call this a fable. I’ll prove it as true; some crickets have foyr legs and some have two.

(ii)Write the comment in your own words.

Ans: Those who live today and think for tomorrow, succeed in life. Enjoy your present but save for your future.