UNIT 2- WIT AND HUMOUR

DOCTOR DOLITTLE

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Doctor Dolittle was a doctor who loved animals very much. One day, a man called the Cat’s-food-Man suggested that he should become a doctor for animals because he understood animals better than other doctors.

Doctor Dolittle’s parrot, Polynesia, supported this idea. She told him that animals had their own languages. She taught him the language of birds. The Doctor became very interested and started learning animal languages.

Soon Doctor Dolittle could understand animals and talk to them. He stopped treating people and became an animal doctor.

A plough horse came to him with a problem in one eye. The horse told the Doctor that it needed spectacles. Doctor Dolittle understood the horse and gave it green spectacles. The horse could see properly again.

News about Doctor Dolittle spread among animals. More and more animals came to him for treatment. He even made separate doors for horses, cows, sheep and tiny animals.

Soon he became famous all over the world among animals. He was happy because he loved helping them.

डॉक्टर डूलिटल एक ऐसे डॉक्टर थे जिन्हें जानवरों से बहुत प्यार था। एक दिन Cat’s-food-Man नाम के व्यक्ति ने उन्हें सलाह दी कि उन्हें इंसानों के बजाय जानवरों का डॉक्टर बनना चाहिए, क्योंकि वे जानवरों को दूसरे डॉक्टरों से बेहतर समझते थे।

उनका तोता Polynesia भी इस बात से सहमत था। उसने डॉक्टर को बताया कि जानवरों की अपनी अलग-अलग भाषाएँ होती हैं। उसने डॉक्टर को पक्षियों की भाषा सिखानी शुरू की। डॉक्टर बहुत उत्साहित हुए और उन्होंने जानवरों की भाषाएँ सीखनी शुरू कर दीं।

धीरे-धीरे डॉक्टर जानवरों की भाषा समझने और उनसे बात करने लगे। उन्होंने इंसानों का इलाज करना छोड़ दिया और जानवरों के डॉक्टर बन गए।

एक दिन एक घोड़ा उनके पास आया। उसकी एक आँख की रोशनी कम हो रही थी। घोड़े ने बताया कि उसे चश्मे की जरूरत है। डॉक्टर ने उसकी बात समझी और उसके लिए हरे रंग का चश्मा बनवाया। इससे घोड़ा फिर से ठीक से देखने लगा।

धीरे-धीरे सभी जानवरों में डॉक्टर की प्रसिद्धि फैल गई। बहुत सारे जानवर उनके पास इलाज के लिए आने लगे। उन्होंने अलग-अलग जानवरों के लिए अलग-अलग दरवाजे भी बनवाए।

कुछ ही वर्षों में डॉक्टर डूलिटल पूरी दुनिया के जानवरों में प्रसिद्ध हो गए और अपने जीवन से बहुत खुश थे।

📖 Word Meanings

✏️ Doctor Dolittle – Question Answers

Q1. Why did the Cat’s-food-Man suggest that Doctor Dolittle should become an animal doctor?

Answer:
He suggested this because Doctor Dolittle understood animals very well and knew more about them than the local animal doctors.

Hindi:
उसने यह सलाह इसलिए दी क्योंकि डॉक्टर डूलिटल जानवरों को बहुत अच्छी तरह समझते थे और स्थानीय पशु-चिकित्सकों से अधिक उनके बारे में जानते थे।

Q2. How did Polynesia help Doctor Dolittle?

Answer:
Polynesia taught Doctor Dolittle the language of birds and helped him understand how animals communicated.

Hindi:
Polynesia ने डॉक्टर डूलिटल को पक्षियों की भाषा सिखाई और जानवरों के संवाद को समझने में मदद की।

Q3. What did Doctor Dolittle learn about animals?

Answer:
He learned that animals had their own languages and communicated in different ways. They could use their ears, feet, tails and other movements to communicate.

Q4. How did Doctor Dolittle help the plough horse?

Answer:
The horse was losing sight in one eye. It asked for spectacles. Doctor Dolittle understood its problem and got it green spectacles. The horse could see properly again.

Q5. Why did Doctor Dolittle become famous among animals?

Answer:
He could understand their language, find out their problems and treat them successfully. Therefore, animals from far and near came to him.

Q6. What happened when more animals started coming to Doctor Dolittle?

Answer:
His garden became crowded. He made separate doors for different animals, including horses, cows, sheep and even tiny mice.

Q7. What qualities of Doctor Dolittle made him successful?

Answer:
He was kind, caring, curious, intelligent and helpful. He listened carefully to animals and tried to understand their problems.

Q8. What is the main message of the story?

Answer:
The story teaches us to listen to others, respect different viewpoints and care for animals.

PART 2 – A FUNNY MAN

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“A Funny Man” is a humorous poem by Natalie Joan.

One day, the poet sees a very strange man walking down the street. He wears a shoe on his head and hats on his feet. He smiles politely at the poet.

The funny man offers the poet a rose, but instead of a rose he takes out a currant bun and holds it near her nose.

The poet is surprised because everything the man does is unusual.

Then the man sings a strange song and sits on the ground. When the poet asks why he wears two hats on his feet, he turns around and hops home on his head.

The poem is funny because the man does everything in an unusual and impossible way.

🇮🇳 Hindi Translation

“A Funny Man” एक मजेदार कविता है।

एक दिन कवयित्री को सड़क पर एक बहुत अजीब आदमी दिखाई देता है। उसके सिर पर जूता और पैरों में टोपी होती है। वह कवयित्री को देखकर मुस्कुराता है।

वह कवयित्री को गुलाब देने की बात करता है, लेकिन गुलाब की जगह वह एक currant bun निकालकर उसकी नाक के पास रख देता है।

कवयित्री बहुत हैरान होती है क्योंकि वह आदमी बहुत अजीब काम करता है।

फिर वह एक अजीब गाना गाता है और जमीन पर बैठ जाता है। जब कवयित्री उससे पूछती है कि उसके पैरों में दो टोपियाँ क्यों हैं, तो वह दूसरी तरफ मुड़कर अपने सिर के बल उछलता हुआ घर चला जाता है।

कविता की मजेदार बात यह है कि आदमी हर काम बिल्कुल उल्टे और असामान्य तरीके से करता है।

📖 Word Meanings

✏️ A Funny Man – Question Answers

Q1. Which character trait of the funny man is most appealing?

Answer:
His polite and playful nature is most appealing. He behaves strangely but remains friendly and polite.

Q2. How do his unusual actions affect the poem?

Answer:
They make the poem funny, cheerful and entertaining.

Q3. Suggest another title for the poem.

Answer:
“The Strange Man” would be a suitable title because the man behaves in very unusual ways.

Q4. Why has the poet included dialogue?

Answer:
The dialogue makes the poem more lively and interesting. It also shows the funny man’s unusual behaviour.

Q5. What does the poet want to convey through the funny man’s behaviour?

Answer:
The poet wants to show that unusual behaviour can make life funny and entertaining. The poem encourages us to enjoy humour.

Extract Question

Why does the funny man call the poet “Your Highness”?

Answer:
He says “Your Highness” in a playful and humorous way while pretending that the poet is an important person.

Why does the poet say “Well!”?

Answer:
She says “Well!” because she is surprised that the man gives her a bun instead of a rose.

PART 3 – SAY THE RIGHT THING

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“Say the Right Thing” is a humorous play about a young girl named Mary Shaw and her mother, Mrs. Shaw.

Mrs. Shaw is expecting two guests, Mrs. Harding and Mrs. Lee. She teaches Mary how to behave politely with guests. She tells her to say things like “Good afternoon” and “How are you?” and not to say things that may hurt people’s feelings.

Mary thinks she knows how to talk to people and insists on staying when the guests arrive.

However, when the guests come, Mary keeps saying the wrong things.

She talks about Mrs. Cotter staying in bed and going to the doctor. Unfortunately, Mrs. Harding also stays in bed and Mrs. Lee often visits the doctor.

Then Mary says that talkative women are not interesting. Mrs. Lee tells her that her mother is very talkative.

Mary then criticises a dirty-looking dog. Mrs. Harding reveals that the dog is her own dog, Towzer.

Mary’s comments make everyone uncomfortable. The play is funny because Mary honestly says whatever comes into her mind without thinking about other people’s feelings.

🇮🇳 Hindi Translation

“Say the Right Thing” एक मजेदार नाटक है। इसकी मुख्य पात्र Mary Shaw है। उसकी माँ Mrs. Shaw उसे मेहमानों के साथ अच्छे व्यवहार की सलाह देती है।

Mrs. Shaw के घर Mrs. Harding और Mrs. Lee आने वाली होती हैं। वह Mary को सिखाती है कि मेहमानों से कैसे विनम्रता से बात करनी चाहिए। वह उसे “Good afternoon” और “How are you?” जैसी बातें कहने को कहती है।

Mary सोचती है कि वह अच्छी तरह बात करना जानती है और मेहमानों के आने पर माँ के साथ रहने की जिद करती है।

लेकिन मेहमानों के आने के बाद Mary बार-बार गलत बातें कहती है।

वह Mrs. Cotter के बारे में कहती है कि वह सुबह बिस्तर पर रहती है और डॉक्टर को बुलाती रहती है। लेकिन Mrs. Harding भी सुबह बिस्तर पर रहती हैं और Mrs. Lee अक्सर डॉक्टर के पास जाती हैं।

फिर Mary कहती है कि ज्यादा बात करने वाली महिलाएँ अच्छी नहीं होतीं। Mrs. Lee बताती हैं कि उनकी माँ बहुत बात करती हैं।

इसके बाद Mary एक गंदे कुत्ते के बारे में बुरा बोलती है। तभी Mrs. Harding बताती हैं कि वह कुत्ता उनका अपना कुत्ता Towzer है।

Mary की बातें सबको असहज कर देती हैं। नाटक का हास्य इसी बात से पैदा होता है कि Mary बिना सोचे अपने मन की बात बोल देती है।

📖 Word Meanings

✏️ Say the Right Thing – Question Answers

Q1. Why did Mrs. Shaw give Mary advice before the guests arrived?

Answer:
She wanted Mary to learn how to speak politely and behave properly with guests.

Hindi:
वह चाहती थी कि Mary मेहमानों के साथ विनम्रता से बात करना और अच्छा व्यवहार करना सीखे।

Q2. Why did Mary insist on staying with her mother?

Answer:
Mary believed that she could talk well and wanted to show her mother that she knew how to speak with guests.

Q3. What does Mary’s behaviour show?

Answer:
It shows that Mary is innocent and inexperienced. She speaks honestly but does not understand that some comments can hurt people’s feelings.

Q4. Why was Mrs. Harding uncomfortable when Mary talked about people staying in bed?

Answer:
Because Mrs. Harding herself stayed in bed in the morning.

Q5. Why did Mary apologise to Mrs. Lee?

Answer:
Mary realised that her comment about people going to the doctor could offend Mrs. Lee, because Mrs. Lee often went to the doctor.

Q6. Why did Mary’s comment about talkative women create an awkward situation?

Answer:
Mrs. Lee’s mother was very talkative. So Mary unknowingly criticised Mrs. Lee’s mother.

Q7. Why was Mary’s comment about the dog embarrassing?

Answer:
Mary called the dog dirty and said she did not like dogs. Then Mrs. Harding told her that the dog was their dog, Towzer.

Q8. What does “no one speaks” show in the play?

Answer:
It shows that everyone becomes silent and uncomfortable because Mary has said something inappropriate.

Q9. How does Mary’s attitude change during the play?

Answer:
At first, Mary is confident and thinks she knows how to talk to guests. As she makes more mistakes, she becomes more aware that she does not really understand polite conversation.

Q10. What do Mrs. Harding and Mrs. Lee’s responses show?

Answer:
They show that both women are patient and polite. They do not become angry even when Mary makes embarrassing comments.

Q11. What is the main message of the play?

Answer:
The play teaches us that we should think before we speak. We should be polite and avoid saying things that may hurt or embarrass others.

⭐ MOST IMPORTANT EXAM QUESTIONS

1. What is the main theme of Doctor Dolittle?

Answer: Understanding, kindness towards animals and listening to different viewpoints.

2. Why did Doctor Dolittle become famous?

Answer: He could understand animal languages and successfully treat animals.

3. Why is A Funny Man humorous?

Answer: Because the funny man behaves in strange and impossible ways.

4. What makes the funny man different from ordinary people?

Answer: He wears a shoe on his head, hats on his feet and even goes home on his head.

5. What lesson do we learn from Say the Right Thing?

Answer: We should think before speaking and always be polite and considerate towards others.

6. What common idea connects the three pieces?

Answer: All three pieces use humour to teach us something:

• Doctor Dolittle → listen and understand others.
• A Funny Man → enjoy humour and unusual situations.
• Say the Right Thing → think before speaking and respect others.