Poem – 1
BENJAMIN JONES GOES SWIMMING
Aileen Fischer
Comprehension:
I. Answer the following questions in two or
three sentences each:
Ans: Benjamin informed his wife that on the fourth of July he would
compete in free-for-all meet (swimming competition).
2) Why did Benjamin’s wife discourage him?
Ans: Benjamin’s wife discouraged him because he had not gone swimming
for years and she said that he would come last.
3) How did Benjamin win the swimming
competition?
Ans: The contest began accompanied by crowded spectators and Benjamin
pace was very slow. While swimming Benjamin saw a crab by his toe and he
thought it would bite and he swam like a possessed swimmer and Benjamin won the
swimming competition.
4) What do you learn from the poem?
Ans: If you determined your mind for something then nothing can stop you.
II. Appreciation:
Answer the following as directed:
a) dialogue b)
anti-climax c) satire d) climax
Ans: c) satire.
2) Appreciate the following expressions in
3-4 sentences each:
a) With others so fast, you’re sure to be
last.
Ans: Benjamin’s wife discouraged him because he had not gone swimming
for years and she said that he would come last as there would be possessed
swimmers in the competition.
b) His pace was so slow that a crab saw his
toe and thought it would venture a bite.
Ans: The contest began accompanied by crowded spectators and Benjamin
pace was very slow. While swimming Benjamin saw a crab by his toe and he
thought it would bite and he swam like a possessed swimmer and Benjamin won the
swimming competition.
c) She fell in the lake with a splash.
Ans: Benjamin’s wife was surprised when she saw her husband won the
swimming competition and she fell into lake with a splash.
III. Let’s read and respond:
A. Fill in the blanks based on your
understanding of the poem:
2) It was a free-for-all competition.
3) Benjamin’s wife said that he would come last because he had not
gone swimming for years.
4) The swimmers galore waited for praise on the day of the
competition.
5) The competition took place on the fourth of July.
6) Swimmers passed Benjamin on the right and the left because he
was slow.
7) The crab thought of biting Benjamin’s toe because it must have
looked like food.
8) Benjamin won the race as he swam fast to escape the crab.
9) His wife fell into the water because she was shocked to see her
husband win the race.
B. Make a list of all the rhyming words in
the poem. There are rhyming words in the same lines and at the end of the
lines.
1) compete – meet 2) word- absurd 3) fast – last
4) came – acclaim 5) place – race 6)
began – man
7) left – right 8) slow – toe 9)
crab – grab
10) toe – foe 11) dock – shock 12) July – try
13) years – ears 14)
galore – shore 15) right – bite
16) guessed – possessed 17) dash –
splash
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