Animals, Birds, and Dr. Dolittle

Do you have a pet or a domestic animal? If yes, why? If not, why not? How do people usually spend time with a pet or domestic animal? Share your thoughts with your classmates and the teacher.

You must have read stories where animals and birds talk. If you had a chance to communicate with an animal or a bird, who would you like to speak to and why? Share your thoughts with your classmates and the teacher.

Complete the following sentence by selecting a suitable reason. The Cat's-food-Man suggests to Doctor Dolittle that he should become an animal doctor because he believes that Dolittle ____.

Fill in the blanks by choosing the suitable option given in the brackets. Doctor Dolittle reacts to Polynesia's information about animal languages with both excitement and ____ (certainty/curiosity). He rushes to ____ (write/memorise) the bird words she provides and is interested in learning more.

Do you think Doctor Dolittle would be famous as an animal doctor? If yes, why? If not, why not?

What became a common sight in Puddleby after Doctor Dolittle started treating animals?

What challenges do you think Doctor Dolittle might face if more and more animals come to him for help? How might he overcome these challenges to ensure that he provides good treatment?

Read the extract: "If I say, 'Polly wants a cracker', you understand me. But hear this: Kaka oi-ee, fee-fee?" "Good Gracious!" cried the Doctor. "What does that mean?" "That means, 'Is the porridge hot yet?'—in bird language." "My! You don't say so!" said the Doctor. "You never talked that way to me before." "What would have been the good?" said Polynesia, dusting some cracker crumbs off her left wing. "You wouldn't have understood me if I had."

Read the extract: "I would like a pair like yours," said the horse—"only green. They'll keep the Sun out of my eyes while I'm ploughing the field." "Certainly," said the Doctor. "Green ones you shall have." "You know, the trouble is, Sir," said the plough horse as the Doctor opened the front door to let him out—"the trouble is that anybody thinks he can doctor animals—just because the animals don't complain. As a matter of fact, it takes a much cleverer man to be a really good animal doctor than it does to be a good people's doctor."

How can we say that Polynesia was a good trainer of animal language?

Explain how Doctor Dolittle gave equal and individual attention to each animal who came to him for treatment.

How does Doctor Dolittle's readiness to follow the parrot's advice highlight the importance of listening to different viewpoints?

Which qualities of Doctor Dolittle made him famous among the animals? Explain with evidence from the text.

What changes do you think would happen in the world if people suddenly gained the ability like Doctor Dolittle, to understand and communicate with animals?

Complete the following table correctly by choosing words from the box given below. An example has been done for you. Words: sailor song, teatime, check-in, plough horse, harvest mice, windowsill, well-bred

Create compound words from the table given below. A: 1. fun, 2. high, 3. never, 4. early, 5. song, 6. over, 7. tree. B: (i) head, (ii) birds, (iii) flying, (iv) loving, (v) risers, (vi) tops, (vii) ending. Now, complete the paragraph with suitable compound words from the table.

Read the sentences below and identify the palindrome words and sentences. 1. Step on no pets. 2. Naman saw a race car at the show. 3. Nitin speaks in Malayalam. 4. The engineer used a rotator to check the surface level. 5. The pilot relied on the radar to navigate safely. 6. Eva can I see bees in a cave? Now, create your own palindrome and share it with your classmates and the teacher.

Underline the verbs and identify the tense form in the following sentences from the text. 1. He is asking you a question. 2. Oh, there are plenty of animal doctors. 3. I am going blind in one eye. 4. …the trouble is that anybody thinks he can doctor animals.

Fill in the blanks using the correct form of verbs (present perfect) given within brackets. Since becoming an animal doctor, Doctor Dolittle 1. ____ (learn) to communicate with all animals and birds. He 2. ____ (treat) countless farm animals and pets with care. The parrot, Polynesia, 3. ____ (teach) him bird-language, and he 4. ____ (write) books about his adventures. Many people 5. ____ (bring) their sick animals to his door. Over the years, Dolittle 6. ____ (become) renowned worldwide for his unique abilities.

Write a notice in about 50 words about the Annual Health Check-up for students of Grades 6–8. Remind students to collect their health check-up cards from the class teacher. Include all other necessary details about date, time, and venue. Complete the draft of the notice by using the words and phrases given in the box below. Words: inform, queries, health card, health check-up, assembly hall, Grades 6–8, please contact, Thursday and Friday