Tamilnadu State Board New Syllabus Samacheer Kalvi 9th English Guide Pdf Poem 4 The Spider and the Fly Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes.
Tamilnadu Samacheer Kalvi 9th English Solutions Poem 4 The Spider and the Fly
9th English Guide The Spider and the Fly Textbook Questions and Answers
B. Read the following lines from the poem and answer the questions in a sentence or two.
1. The way into my parlour is up a winding stair,
And I’ve many curious things to show when you are there”
Question (a).
How to reach the spider’s parlour.
Answer:
The spider’s parlour can be reached through a winding stair.
Question (b).
What will the fly get to see in the parlour?
Answer:
The fly will get to see many curious things in the parlour.
2. ” Oh no, no,” said the little Fly, “kind Sir, that cannot be,
I’ve heard what’s in your pantry, and I do not wish to see!”
Question (a).
Is the fly willing to enter the spider’s pantry?
Answer:
No. The fly is not willing to enter the spider’s pantry.
Question (b).
Can you guess what was in the pantry?
Answer:
No, I cannot guess what was in the pantry.
3. “Sweet creature!” said the Spider, “you’re witty and you’re wise,
How handsome are your gauzy wings, how brilliant are your eyes!”
Question (a).
List the words used by the spider to describe the fly.
Answer:
Sweet, witty, wise, handsome, gauzy, brilliant.
Question (b).
Why does the spider say that the fly is witty?
Answer:
The spider is flattering. So it says that the fly is witty.
4. The Spider turned him round about, and went into his den,
For well he knew the silly Fly would soon come back again:
Question (a).
Why is the poet using the word den to describe the spider’s web?
Answer:
The spider is like a lion in its web. So the poet uses the word.
Question (b).
Why was the spider sure that the fly would come back again?
Answer:
The fly was silly and ignorant. So the spider was sure that the fly would come back again.
5. With buzzy wings she hung aloft, then near and nearer drew,
Thinking only of her brilliant eyes, and green and purple hue
Question (a).
Who does she’ refer to?
Answer:
She refers to the fly.
Question (b).
What was she thinking of?
Answer:
She was thinking of her brilliant eyes and green and purple hue.
6. And now dear little children, who may this story read,
To idle, silly flattering words, I pray you ne’er give heed:
Question (a).
Who does T’ refer to?
Answer:
T refers to a poet
Question (b).
What is the advice given to the readers?
Answer:
The poet advises us not to fall prey to flattery and sweet words.
Additional Questions and Answers
1. ‘I’m sure you must be weary, dear, with soaring up so high
Will you rest upon my little bed? “said the spider to the fly.
Question (a).
Who does T’ refer to?
Answer:
I refers to the spider.
Question (b).
Who does ‘You’ refer to?
Answer:
You refers to the fly
Question (c).
Who was weary according to the spider?
Answer:
The fly was weary.
Question (d).
Why was the fly weary?
Answer:
It was because the fly was going up very high by flying.
Question (e).
What did the spider ask the fly?
Answer:
The spider asked the fly if she would rest upon his little bed.
2. There are pretty curtains drawn around; the sheets are fine and thin.
And if you like to rest awhile.
I’ll snugly tuck you in.
Question (a).
Describe the spider’s bed.
Answer:
There are pretty curtains around and the sheets are fine and thin.
Question (b).
What is the condition laid by the spider?
Answer:
If the fly likes to rest awhile, the spider will snugly tuck the fly in.
3. I have within my pantry, good store of all that’s nice;
I’m sure you’re very welcome – will you please to take a slice?
Question (a).
What is the pantry?
Answer:
A pantry is a room where beverages, food, dishes are used.
Question (b).
What kind of pantry is it?
Answer:
It is good pantry of all nice things.
4. So he wove a subtle web, in a little corner sly
And set is table ready, to dine up the fly.
Question (a).
Who wove a subtle web?
Answer:
The spider wove subtle web.
Question (b).
What is a subtle web?
Answer:
A subtle web is the dwelling place of a spider.
Question (c).
What is the table mentioned here?
Answer:
It is the dining table.
Question (d)
What is the table ready?
Answer:
The table is ready for eating the fly.
5. Your robes are green and purple – there’s a crest upon your head
Your eye are like the diamond bright, but mine are dull as lead.
Question (a).
Whose robes are green and purple?
Answer:
The fly’s robes are green and purple.
Question (b).
What is there upon the fly’s head?
Answer:
A crest is upon the fly’s head.
Question (c).
What are the fly’s eyes compared to?
Answer:
The fly’s eyes are to bright diamond.
Question (d).
Whose eye are dull like lead?
Answer:
The spider’s eyes are dull like lead.
6. Up jumped the cunning spider, and fiercely held her fast,
He dragged her up his winding stair, into his dismal den.
Question (a).
Why did the spider jump up?
Answer:
The spider caught the fly so he jumped up.
Question (b).
How did the spider hold the fly?
Answer:
The spider fiercely held the fly fast.
Question (c).
Who dragged whom up the winding stair?
Answer:
The spider dragged the fly up the winding stair.
Question (d).
Where did the spider take the fly?
Answer:
The spider took the fly into his dismal den.
Question (e)
What is meant by dismal den?
Answer:
“Dismal den’ means a gloomy or horrible cave.
Question (f).
What is the dismal den?
Answer:
The dismal den is the cobweb (home of the spider).
Question (g).
Why is it called a dismal den?
Answer:
The spider kills and eats his prey in the cobweb. So it is called a dismal den.
7. Unto an evil counsellor, close heart, and ear and eye,
And take a lesson from this tale, of the spider and the fly.
Question (a).
To whom one should close heart, ear and eye?
Answer:
One should close heart, ear and eye to an evil counsellor.
Question (b).
What lesson do the readers take from this tale?
Answer:
Don’t listen to evil counsellor and don’t take their advice, is the lesson from this tale.
Question (c).
Do you want to be the spider or the fly?
Answer:
I don’t want to be the spider or the fly.
Question (d).
Who is an evil counsellor in general?
Answer:
In general, the one who makes the other as his prey through their evil advice.
Question (e).
What is the advice given here?
Answer:
“Beware of evil counsellors” is the advice given here.
B. Complete the summary.
The poem begins with the spider’s (1)…………… of the fly. He (2)…………. to the fly to come into its home. The spicier describes his parlour as the (3)…………. one. The spider kindles the curiosity of the fly so that she may enter his home. Fortunately, the fly was (4)……….. and refused to get into his home. Now the spider pretends to be a(5) ……….. man and asks her to come and rest in his home. He offers her (6)………… and a. thin fine sheets to rest. This time also the fly (7)………… the spider’s offer very politely. The next weapon that the spider uses is (8)……….. The spider praises the (9)……….. and (10)………. of the fly and also praises her (11)……… He invites her to look at herself in the (12)………… which is in his parlour. The fl y is (13)……….. by the words of the spider and she falls a (14)………. to her (15)……….
Answer:
- Friendliness
- requests
- prettiest
- wise
- good
- bed
- refuses
- flattery
- wing
- eyes
- head
- mirror
- enticed/tempted
- prey
- enemy
C. Answer the following
Question 1.
Write a character sketch of the spider.
Answer:
Title : The spider and the fly
Author/poetess : Mary Botham Howttv (1799 -1888)
Characters : Spider and fly
Theme : Beware of evil councellors.
In the poem, the spider first tries to inveigle the fly into the spider’s house. He tells the fly that his parlour is comfortable he will be welcoming the fly. The spider promises the fly a rest on his bed and treats from his pantry. The fly wisely resists these attempts to get her to enter the spider’s house. However, she cannot resist the spider’s flattery. The spider praises her wings and eyes and offers her a chance to look into the mirror.
Motivated by her great vanity, the fly enters the spider’s den and is ensnared. The poet tells the readers not to be tricked by “idle, sjlly, flattering words” at the end of the poem. The spider is cunning and full of vice. Spider wins in its. He deceived the fly at the end. Vanity makes people susceptible to doing foolish things. So the people need to be wary of others who flatter them only to deceive them. The poet advises the readers to close their hearts, eyes and ears to the evil counsellors.
“Look before you leap”
(OR)
The spider is a cunning creature. He tries to inveigle the fly into his house. He tells the fly about the comforts in his parlour. He wishes to welcome the fly. The spider promises the fly a rest on his bed and treats from his pantry. The fly resists firstly. The spider flatters but the fly fails to resists. The spider praises her eyes, and wings. He offers a mirror to look into.
Vanity defeats the fly. She enters the spiders den. The fly is trapped. The poetess tells the readers not to be deceived by “idle, silly, flattering words. Spider makes fly his prey. Vanity makes the people susceptible to do foolish thing to doing foolish thing. So people must be wary of others who flatter them only to cheat them.
Question 2.
What happens if we fall prey to flattery? Give instances from the poem The spider and the fly’.
Answer:
Title : The spider and the Fly
Poetess : Mary Botham Howitt
Characters : Spider and fly
Theme : Prevention is better than cure Flattery is a deadly weapon to defeat the enemies. The poem stresses the idea that cam be seen in social trends today. If individuals succumb to superficiality, bad things are not far behind. The fly is ensnared because of the superficial praises of the spider.
“To idle, silly, flattering words, I pray you never give heed. Unto an evil counsellor, close heart and ear and eye” The spider is able to ‘ weave a web’ to ensnare the fly because of the superficial praise heaped on it. When the fly gives into this praise, believing it as truth, the fly is destroyed. In the society, if the people are giving into tempting words and praises then they fall a prey to flattery. Just as the fly is destroyed by the spider, the people will also be affected by the flatterers.
” Don’ t be penny wise and pound foolish”
(OR)
Title: The Spider and the Fly
Poetess: Mary Botham Howitt (1799 -1888)
Characters: spider and fly
Theme: “Look before you leap”
Flattery is a deadly weapon to overcome enemies. The poem stress this idea. It is seen in society. If people who succumb to superficiality, bad things approach them easily. The spider praises the fly excessively. The fly becomes prey to the flattery of the spider. The spider is able to ‘weave a web.
The spider ensnares the fly by his praises. Trusting the flattery, the fly gives in to destroy herself. There are people in the society, who yield to the tempting words fall prey to their enemies. The poet advises the readers not to keep their hearts, eyes and ears open to the evil counsellors.
“All that glitters is not gold”
Question 3.
In your own Give a detailed description of:
(a) The spider’s parlour
Answer:
The story “The spider and the fly” tells of a cunning spider who ensnares a na’ive fly through the use of seduction and flattery. The spider invites the fly to his parlour. The way to the parlour is up a winding stair. It is the prettiest little parlour that the fly had ever spied. There are many curious things. The spider wants to show them to the fly. There is a little bed to rest upon. There are pretty curtains drawn around. The sheets are fine and thin. On the whole the spider’s parlour is the best and the prettiest.
(OR)
(b). The fly’s appearance.
Answer:
The spider tries to flatter the fly by praising her appearance and inviting her in to look into a mirror. The spider tells the fly that she has handsome gauzy wings and brilliant eyes. The spider further tells the fly is pretty with pearl and silver wing. The fly’s robes are green and purple hue. There is a crest upon the fly’s head. Her eyes are like a bright diamond. On the whole, the fly is elegant and beautiful.
“Appearance is deceptive”
Appreciate the poem
Figures of speech
1. Consonance:
Repetition of similar consonant sounds in the neighbouring words.
Ex: “T is the prettiest little parlour that ever you did spy;
Pick out one more instance of consonance from the poem.
Hearing his wily, flattering words, came slowly flitting by;
So he wove a subtle web, in a little corner sly.
2. Assonance:
Repetition of similar vowel sounds in the neighbouring words.
Ex: “T is the prettiest little parlour that ever you did spy;
Pick out one more instance of consonance from the poem.
The spider turned him roundabout and went into his den,
“I’m sure you must be weary, dear, with soaring up so high.”
3. Anaphora:
Repetition of a word or a phrase at the beginning of a sequence of sentences, paragraphs and lines.
Ex: How handsome are your gauzy wings, how brilliant are your eyes!
Identify the figures of speech.
“Your eyes are like the diamond bright, but mine are dull as lead! ’’
A simile is the figure of speech.
4. Alliteration:
Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words.
Pick out the words in alliteration.
“Sweet creature! ” said the Spider, “you’re witty and you ’re wise,”
Sweet – Spider; and witty – wise are alliterated.
Listening
D. Listen to the passage and fill in the blanks with appropriate answers:
1. Without trust there is no …………..
2. ………….. is a very rare thing to find in life.
3. When people betray you learn from the …………
4. Don’t let ………….. on the road throw you back.
5. If we keep moving forward you will have a wonderfully …………
Answer:
- relationship
- Trust
- situation.
- small bumps
- fulfilling life
Speaking:
E. The cunning spider was waiting for a chance to put the fly into its web and it used all the possible ways to trap her. Have you ever been trapped by flattery to do something you did not want to do? Discuss in pairs and share your experience in the class.
Answer:
A jay and I are – friends. A jay is elder to me by a year of age. We used to go everywhere to¬gether. Ajay is cleverer than me. We both were studying in the same class. We occupied the same bench in the class. Many have called us twin though we don’t look alike nor brothers even. Ajay was in the habit of making fun of me often. But I never minded it. One day he told me about going to the river and bathe there. He knows swimming.
But I don’t swim well. He flattered me that day saying that I could swim well and he promised me to make me swim well and he promised me to make me swim better. Even though I refused to swim, he com¬pelled me to get into the river. 1 trusted him and jumped into the river. The river was deep and the water was flowing faster. He saw me struggling in the river shouting for help. Ajay took it as fun and did not come to my rescue.
I thought that I would die. But to my surprise, a few people were watching me in this panic-stricken situation swam across the river and took me to the bank of the river. They advised Ajay not to be playful and betraying anyone. He was ashamed for his senseless active. Later I was taken to my house. I forgave Ajay but never wanted to be his friend anymore.
” Only a friend in need is a friend indeed”
Writing
F. The fly gives into flattery and becomes the spider’s prey. I you are asked to give a happy ending to the poem, how will you save the fly? Write in your own words.
Answer:
The cunning spider tried to ensnare the fly. Firstly the fly refused to accept the invitation to enter the spider’s parlour. Then the spider used flattery to seduce the fly. The spider started praising the fly. The fly believed the spider’s words and gave into his praises. At last the spider jumped up and caught the flypast. The fly released the danger and wanted to escape. While the spider was trying to make the fly its prey, there came a lizard.
The spider was scared of it. So the spider went up leaving the fly-half – dead. The fly became alert. It struggled hard to come out of the thin thread of half hazard. The fly got some hope. In the last attempt, the fly fell down and flew away from there. The spider’s hard effort with great flattery entered in vain. The spider had to wait for another chance to get any little creatures as it prey.
“Where there is a will, there is a way”