Class 8 MCQs on The Ant and the Cricket (Honeydew): Tips & Practice
This work has been verified by our teacher: 16.01.2026 at 10:47
Type of homework: Essay Writing
Added: 16.01.2026 at 9:59
Summary:
Praktyczny przewodnik dla uczniów kl.8: MCQ do wiersza 'Mrówka i świerszcz' — analizy, strategie, ćwiczenia, słownictwo i porady egzaminacyjne. 🐜🎵
Class 8 English Poem 1 MCQs — The Ant and the Cricket: A Comprehensive Guide
Introduction
The purpose of this essay is to serve as a clear, practical guide for students and teachers in India tackling Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) on the Class 8 English Honeydew poem, “The Ant and the Cricket.” As MCQs are gaining importance in CBSE assessment patterns, understanding how to approach them is essential—not only for securing marks but also for truly grasping the underlying themes and poetic devices. This essay will explore what MCQs on this poem can assess, ways to prepare thoroughly, strategies for tackling these questions in exams, and how to use MCQs as a tool for deeper learning rather than just rote memorisation. Special attention is given to Indian classroom realities, drawing upon relevant learning techniques and literary heritage.Orientation to the Poem: “The Ant and the Cricket”
“The Ant and the Cricket” is an adaptation from Aesop’s fables, but recast here in the poetic form, with a distinctly Indian classroom context. The poem presents two main characters: an ant, known for her diligent and farsighted nature, and a cricket, who is portrayed as merry and carefree. The story unfolds with the cricket spending his time singing and enjoying pleasant weather, entirely unmindful of the need to prepare for harsher times. When winter approaches and food becomes scarce, the cricket, finding himself ill-prepared, appeals to the ant for help. The ant, practical yet not unkind, reprimands the cricket for his lack of responsibility, ultimately refusing assistance, encouraging the cricket to learn from this misfortune.The poem is set against the changing backdrop of seasons, using winter as a metaphor for hardship and summer for abundance and opportunity. At its core, the poem teaches age-old values—preparation over idleness, the inevitable consequences of one’s actions, and the wisdom in learning from nature. These morals belong closely to Indian narrative tradition, with similar themes seen in Panchatantra tales and folk songs from various states.
Linking Poem Features to MCQ Skills
Factual Recall
MCQs often begin with simple factual recall, asking about character actions (“What did the cricket do in summer?”), the setting (“When did the cricket realise his mistake?”), and sequence of events (“Who did the cricket ask for help first?”). To master these, students should pay attention to concrete details in the poem.Tip: While reading, underline every clear fact—who did what, where, and in which order. Make quick summary notes in the margin.
Inferential Understanding
MCQs at the next level probe ideas and attitudes implied but not spelled out. For example, “Why does the ant refuse the cricket?” or “What lesson does the poet want us to learn?” go beyond the surface, requiring students to read between the lines.Strategy: Always look for supporting text to validate an inference before selecting an answer.
Vocabulary and Word Meanings
MCQs often test contextual meaning, e.g., “In the poem, ‘starvation’ most nearly means: (a) Hunger, (b) Singing, (c) Storing, (d) Dancing.” Such questions build vocabulary and reading sense.Technique: First, read the line with the word. If stuck, imagine each choice in the line’s place—what fits best? Use a dictionary only as a last resort in revision.
Tone, Mood, and Poetic Devices
Some MCQs ask about the poem’s tone (“sympathetic” or “sarcastic”), mood, similes, metaphors, or personification. For instance, “What is winter described as? (a) Blanket, (b) Fire, (c) Garden, (d) Song.” Understanding these devices strengthens interpretation skills.Tip: Try to connect each poetic device or image to its intended effect on the reader.
Moral and Thematic Interpretation
MCQs can require you to identify the poet’s message or the theme, e.g., “The main moral of the poem is...” Here, it’s crucial to reject options that are too general or totally unrelated to the poem’s content.Grammar and Usage
Occasionally, MCQs ask for grammatical correctness, drawn from poem lines—identifying tenses, prepositions, or punctuation. This tests both language and literary comprehension.Typical MCQ Formats and Sample Stems
To be well-prepared, students should know what kinds of questions to expect in exams. Here are examples:- Direct factual question: “What did the cricket do throughout the summer?” (Look for lines describing his actions.)
- Inference question: “The ant’s reply teaches us the value of ______.” (Identify the implied lesson.)
- Vocabulary-in-context: “In the poem, ‘lay by’ most nearly means:” (Choose between storing, neglecting, singing, searching.)
- Tone question: “The poet’s attitude towards the cricket is best described as:” (Options: Angry, Teasing, Sympathetic, Indifferent.)
- Sequence/order question: “Arrange the following events in the correct sequence: singing, seeking help, facing starvation.”
- Device/purpose question: “What is the effect of describing winter as a ‘blanket’?” (Symbolism, atmosphere, irony, or contrast.)
Practical Step-by-Step Answering Techniques
1. Pre-reading: Skim all MCQ stems before starting the poem. Underline key words like “not," “except,” or timing words (“first,” “last”).2. Close-reading: Read the poem once for the overall story. On the second reading, annotate—mark character actions and important turning points, circle new words, and note where the mood shifts.
3. Elimination Strategy: For each MCQ, cross out obviously wrong, exaggerated, or unrelated options. Options using “always” or “never” are rarely correct unless the poem explicitly states so.
4. Vocabulary Testing: For word-meaning problems, insert each answer choice into the poem’s sentence; the one that fits best in sense and tone is probably correct.
5. Inference Questions: Always ask yourself: “Can I prove this from the poem?” Avoid picking answers that need outside knowledge, even if you have read other versions of the same story.
6. Time Management: Assign about 45–60 seconds per MCQ. If unsure, mark and return after finishing the rest. Secure easier marks first, then tackle trickier ones.
Common Traps to Avoid
- Misreading Negatives: If the options say “Which is NOT...”, rephrase to clarify what is actually being asked.- Tempting But Unsupported Options: Ask yourself, “Where is the evidence for this in the poem?” Only pick answers anchored in the text.
- External Knowledge Bias: Ignore morals or details from the common folktale; stick to information present in this poem.
- Similar-sounding Words: Learn subtle differences, e.g., “scarcity” is less severe than “famine.” Use sample sentences for clarity.
- Stanza and Punctuation Ignorance: Stanza breaks and punctuation usually signal shifts in time or tone. Reading continuously without noticing them can lead to confusion.
Revision Strategies and Study Plan
Week 1: Read the poem aloud daily. Write a brief summary in your own words. List every new word, check meaning, and use each in a new sentence.Week 2: Identify and note down all poetic devices (simile, metaphor, personification); summarise each stanza in a single sentence.
Week 3: Solve at least 20 mixed MCQs per day, including vocabulary, factual, and inference questions. Review mistakes and rewrite correct answers.
Week 4: Attempt two full-length MCQ tests under timed conditions. Focus on speed and accuracy. Review hard words and tricky questions again.
Ongoing: Use flashcards for tough words. Discuss morals or inferences in a small group.
Sample Practice Set Outline
- Factual: 1. Who stores food during summer? 2. What happened to the cricket in winter? 3. To whom does the cricket appeal for help? 4. How does the ant respond? 5. What did the cricket do all summer? 6. Where does the story take place? - Vocabulary: 1. Meaning of “starvation.” 2. Synonym for “cricket.” 3. What does “lay by” mean? 4. “Abundance” refers to? 5. “Borrow” in the poem: implies what? - Inference: 1. What is implied about laziness? 2. Why does the ant refuse help? 3. What does the poet think of idleness? 4. What lesson should readers take? 5. How does the cricket feel after the ant’s reply? - Tone/Device: 1. Winter as a “blanket”—what device? 2. Tone towards cricket—mocking or sympathetic? 3. The ant’s attitude—strict/forgiving? 4. Example of personification? - Application: 1. Best moral lesson: perseverance? Kindness? 2. Match lines to function (e.g., setting up, concluding). 3. If you were the cricket, what would you do differently?How Teachers Can Create Effective MCQs
- Mix easy, moderate, and tough questions so all students are engaged. - Employ distractors—options that seem possible, but are wrong, to test thinking skills. - Focus on inference and application, not only memory. - Use line references sparingly so students rely on comprehension. - For answer keys, include a one-line reason for each correct answer to aid learning.Evaluation and Feedback
- Award marks only for clear, best-choice answers. - Track common mistakes to identify topics needing extra practice. - For wrong answers, give direct feedback: what’s correct, why the chosen answer is wrong, and which line supports the right one. - Conduct mini-lessons on word meaning or stanza analysis as remediation.Exam-Day and Psychological Tips
- Get enough sleep and review annotated notes or word flashcards the night before. - Always read every option before answering—first impressions can be wrong. - If anxious, pause for deep breaths before resuming. - Answer sure-shot questions first to build confidence, then move to the rest.Conclusion
Conquering MCQs on “The Ant and the Cricket” is not just about memorising lines or morals, but about truly understanding the characters, their motives, and the lessons woven throughout the poem. Practising a variety of MCQs refines reading speed, accuracy, and analytical ability—skills that extend far beyond English class into all areas of study. With steady preparation, a clear mind, and smart use of elimination techniques, MCQ-based assessment can become less of a hurdle and more of an opportunity to demonstrate real comprehension. Remember, consistent review, careful reading, and focused practice are the keys to managing even the trickiest questions.---
Appendices (Suggestions)
- Vocabulary List: 1. Lay by: store for future use 2. Starvation: severe hunger 3. Imprudence: lack of foresight 4. Dearth: scarcity 5. Abundance: plenty 6. Borrow: take for a time 7. Suffering: experiencing pain 8. Merry: cheerful 9. Fable: short story with a moral 10. Wisdom: knowledge through experience- Stanza Summary Sheet: - Stanza 1: Cricket’s life in summer - Stanza 2: Arrival of winter - Stanza 3: Cricket’s problems - Stanza 4: Cricket asks ant for help - Stanza 5: Ant’s reply - Stanza 6: Lesson drawn
- MCQ Checklist: - Read question twice - Underline key points - Eliminate obviously wrong options - Confirm with text evidence before final answer
---
With this approach, Indian students can master not only “The Ant and the Cricket” but also develop a lifelong skill in reading and critical thinking!
Rate:
Log in to rate the work.
Log in