Class 3 :: English Literature :: Choosing Their Names by Thomas Hood
Choosing Their Names
by Thomas Hood
The Poem:
"Our old cat has kittens three --
What do you think their names should be?
One is tabby with emerald eyes,
And a tail that's long and slender,
And into a temper she quickly flies
If you ever by chance offend her.
I think we shall call her this --
I think we shall call her that --
Now, don't you think that Pepperpot
Is a nice name for a cat?
One is black with a frill of white,
And her feet are all white fur,
If you stroke her she carries her tail upright
And quickly begins to purr.
I think we shell call her this --
I think we shall call her that --
Now, don't you think that Sootikin
Is a nice name for a cat?
One is tortoiseshell yellow and black,
He's a quarrelsome one, ne'er doubt him.
I think we shall call him this --
I think we shall call him that --
Now, don't you think that Scratchaway
Is a nice name for a cat?
Summary of the Poem:
The poet says that they have three kittens of their cold cat. He is talking about the naming of those kittens. He talks about the first cat. It is grey brownish. It has long and slender tail. It has a good amount of temper. If someone offends her, it will flee soon. The poet asks that whether Pepperpot would be a good name for it or not.
Then the poet says about a black cat with a frill of white. Her feet are covered with white fur. If someone strokes her she carries her tail upright and begins to purr quickly. Then the poet asks whether Sootikin would be a good name for her or not.
Then the poet tells about a cat of tortoiseshell yellow and black. It has plenty of white fur. If someone teases him, it will start quarrelling. The poet says that whether Scratchaway would be a good name for it.
Comprehension
A. Write true or false.
1. The poet's cat has two kittens. [F]
2. She is an old cat. [T]
3. The tabby has emerald eyes. [T]
4. The poet is talking about how his cats look and behave. [T]
B. Answer the questions.
1. Describe the tabby kitten's tail.
= The tabby kitten's tail is long and slender.
2. Whose feet have white fur?
= The black kitten has white fur.
3. With which animal does the poet compare the quarrelsome kitten's fur?
= The poet compares the quarrelsome kitten's fur with tortoise.
C. Read the lines and answer the questions.
1. "And into a temper she quickly flies."
a. Who flies into a temper?
= The tabby kitten flies into a temper.
b. Why does she do so?
= If someone ever offends her, she does so.
2. "If you stroke her she carries her tail upright."
a. Which cat is the poet talking about in this line?
= The poet is talking about the black kitten in this line.
b. Why do you think she carries her tail upright?
= If somebody strokes her, she becomes irritated and carries her tail upright.
3. "He's a quarrelsome one, ne'er doubt him."
a. Why does the poet call this cat quarrelsome?
= The poet calls this cat quarrelsome because if someone teases him, he sets up his back at once to fight with the person.
b. What do you think he will do if you tease him?
= I think he will start fighting with us if we tease us.
D. Think and answer.
1. Do the three kittens behave in a very different manner? Do all children in your class behave in the same manner or do they behave differently?
= The three kittens do not behave in the same way. They are different in their respective characteristic.
I think the first kitten is little bit shy and extrovert. She has a temper. She quickly flies away if somebody offends her.
The second kitten is very sensitive and it begins to make low sound of anger if anybody strokes her.
The third kitten is very aggressive and it sets to fight if it is teased by someone.
The children in our class do not behave in the same manner. They are very different from each other. Some of them are shy and introvert. Some are sensitive and reacts in slightest action. Some are really aggressive and they do not hesitate to stat a fight.
2. How do children behave on a playground? Do some children complain a lot? Write in three to four lines any incident which you noticed and still remember.
= Children generally hold a sporty spirit on a playground. But sometimes they got some mood swing. Some gets angry if they make low score of gets disqualified. Overall, they enjoy the game and have a good time.
About the Poet:
Thomas Hood was born on 23 May 1799, to a London bookseller. Hood wrote some humorous poems. He also wrote about the difficult working conditions of poor people.