BIRLA PUBLIC SCHOOL, DOHA, QATAR

Middle School 2021-22

Notes- The Camel’s Complaint

Grade: VII Subject: ENGLISH

(Pg No: 14)

1. Mark the statements true (T) or false (F) :

a) T
b) F
c) T
d) T

2. Answer the following questions:

1. What is the camel complaining about?

Ans: The camel is complaining about the food it’s given to eat, the place it’s
made to sleep, the load of people it has to carry on its back, and its unattractive
appearance, as compared to other animals.

2. Do you agree with the camel that it is ill – treated? Discuss if all the
complaints of the camel are just.

Ans: No, a camel, like all the other animals, is not ill-treated. A camel is the only
animal that can survive in the desert for days without food and water, as it is all
stored in its hump. The hump, though unattractive, is what makes the camel
unique and different from any other animal. No other animal is called the ‘ship of
the desert’. The camel in this poem is disgruntled after seeing the food, shelter,
and appearance of the other animals and is comparing itself with them. It is given
proper food and shelter, just like other animals.

3. Why do you think people choose camels to ride and not other animals
mentioned in the poem?
Ans: People ride a camel and not the other animals mentioned in the poem
because a camel is best suited for human transportation. It is gentle and sweet-
tempered. It does not have to be fed multiple times a day. It can move with ease
on any surface, especially the desert. A giraffe cannot be ridden by people
because of its unusually long neck. Oxen are better suited for agricultural
purposes than being ridden by humans. Rabbits and foxes are too small to carry
any person on their backs.

Think and appreciate:

1. What do you think about people who ill-treat animals?

Ans: People who ill-treat animals are the worst kind of people. They most likely
have psychological issues or are just cruel by nature. Sadistic people mistreat
animals, and should be punished severely and penalized.

6. What is Satire? Find the lines in the poem that show the satirical mood of
the camel.

Ans: Satire is a way of criticizing people or ideas, with the help of humour or
irony, to show their faults and weaknesses.
Anything is okay for me.
Any place is okay for me.
Anywhere is okay for me.
Any load is okay for me.
Any shape is okay for me.
These are the lines in the poem that show the satirical mood of the camel.

Question No : 2,3,4, and 5 to be done by students.

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