The Gumbie Cat Class 7 Summary and Question Answers

The poem “The Gumbie Cat” is taken from Tulip Series English Book 7 for students of Class 7 of JKBOSE.  The poem has been written by T.S.Eliot. This post is precisely about The Gumbie Cat Class 7 Summary and Question Answers. You will find difficult words and their meanings, a summary of the poem, question answers, and extra questions about the poem in this post. In my previous post, I discussed To Sleep Poem Summary Question Answers with you. Let’s not waste much time and get started:

The Gumbie Cat Class 7 Summary and Question Answers

Introduction

The poem “The Gumbie Cat” describes the activities of a cat named Jennyanydots. The cat keeps sleeping the whole day but becomes active at the onset of night and would attack and kill the mice.

The Gumbie Cat Class 7 Poem Text (By T.S.Eliot)

I have a Gumbie Cat in mind, her name is Jennyanydots:
Her coat is of the tabby kind, with tiger stripes and leopard spots.
All day she sits upon the stair or on the steps or on the mat;
She sits and sits and sits and sits–and that’s what makes a Gumbie Cat!

But when the day’s hustle and bustle is done,
Then the Gumbie Cat’s work is but hardly begun.
And when all the family’s in bed and asleep,
She tucks up her skirts to the basement to creep.
She is deeply concerned with the ways of the mice
Their behaviour’s not good and their manners not nice;
So when she has got them lined up on the matting.
She teaches them music, crocheting and tatting.

I have a Gumbie Cat in mind, her name is Jennyanydots;
Her equal would be hard to find, she likes the warm and sunny spots.
All day she sits beside the hearth or on the bed or on my hat:
She sits and sits and sits and sits–and that’s what makes a Gumbie Cat!

But when the day’s hustle and bustle is done,
Then the Gumbie Cat’s work is but hardly begun.
As she finds that the mice will not ever keep quiet.
She is sure it is due to irregular diet;
And believing that nothing is done without trying,
She sets right to work with her baking and frying.
She makes them a mouse–cake of bread and dried peas,
And a beautiful fry of lean bacon and cheese.

I have a Gumbie Cat in mind, her name is Jennyanydots;
The curtain-cord she likes to wind, and tie it into sailor-knots.
She sits upon the window-sill, or anything that’s smooth and flat;
She sits and sits and sits and sits–and that’s what makes a Gumbie Cat!

But when the day’s hustle and bustle is done,
Then the Gumbie Cat’s work is but hardly begun.
She thinks that the cockroaches just need employment
To prevent them from idle and want on destroyment.
So she’s formed, from that lot of disorderly louts,
A troop of well-disciplined helpful boy-scouts,
With a purpose in life and a good deed to do
And she’s even created a Beetles’ Tattoo.

So for Old Gumbie Cats let us now give three cheers
On whom well-ordered households depend, it appears.

The Gumbie Cat Class 7 Words Meanings

Word	English Meaning	Hindi Meaning	Urdu Meaning
Gumbie	A pet name	एक पालतू जानवर का नाम	ایک پالتو جانور کا نام
Tabby	A cat having dark coloured marks on grey or brown fur	भूरे बालों वाली बिल्ली	بھوری رنگ والی بلی
Stripes	A long narrow line of colour	धारियाँ	دھاریاں
Stair	A series of steps inside a building that lead from one level to another	सीढ़ी	سیڑھی
Hustle and bustle	A busy activity usually in a noisy surrounding	चहल पहल	جلد اور ہلچل
Tuck	To put something into a safe or convenient place	किसी चीज को ध्यान में रखना	کیسی چیز کو دھیان میں رکھنا
Basement	A part of a building consisting of rooms that are partly or completely below the level of the ground	तहखाना	ته خانه
Concerned	Anxious	चिंतित	فکرمند
Crocheting	Making clothes with a special needle and wool	विशेष सुई और ऊन से कपड़े बनाना	خصوصی انجکشن اور اون سے کپڑے بنانا
Tatting	The process of making knotted lace with a small shuttle	झालर बनाने की क्रिया	ایک چھوٹی سی شٹل کے ساتھ بنا ہوا لیس بنانے کا عمل
Hearth	A brick, stone, or concrete area in front of a fireplace	अंगीठी	چمنی
Irregular	Happening at times that you cannot predict	अनियमित	بے قاعدہ
Bacon	Meat from the back or sides of a pig	सूअर का मांस	سوئر کا گوشت
Curtaincord	Curtain rope	पर्दे वाली रस्सी	پردے والی رسی
Destroyment	To damage something, esp. in a violent way	किसी चीज को नुकसान पहुंचाना	کسی چیز کو نقصان پہنچانا
Lout	A rude and violent youth	उपद्रवी	گدلا

The Gumbie Cat Class 7 Summary in English

The Poem “The Gumbie Cat” has been written by Thomas Stearns Eliot (T.S.Eliot) an American-English poet.  In this poem, the poet talks about his pet cat. Her name is Jennyanydots. Her coat has brownish fur with stripes and dark spots on it.  The cat remains inactive all through the day. During the day she sits on mats, and stairs in the house doing nothing at all.

When the day’s work is done, she starts her work and heads to the basement. She does not like the behaviour of the mice in the basement. She gets the mice lined up and she teaches them music and makes clothes from wool and some special needles. These needles have hooks at one end. The poet says that it is difficult to find a cat of her kind. The next day she sits around like always and is fond of sitting in sunny and warm spots. The cat likes to sit beside the hearth or on the bed or on the poet’s hat.

But during the evening, her activities are to keep the mice engaged to keep them away from mischief. The gumbie cat finds that mice are very noisy and annoying and thinks that it might be due to the irregular diet of the mice. She starts baking and frying and makes cakes of bread and a dried pea for them. The gumbie cat likes to play with curtains and sits on things that are flat and smooth. She also thinks of keeping the cockroaches away from mischief by giving them employment. She turned them into helpful boy scouts and gives them a good deed for life. The real purpose of a cat is to keep these creatures far away from mischief.

At last, the poet says we should give three cheers to the gumbie cat on whom our well-ordered household depends.

The Gumbie Cat Class 7 Summary in Hindi

कविता “द गंबी कैट” एक अमेरिकी-अंग्रेज़ी कवि थॉमस स्टर्न्स एलियट (टी.एस.एलियट) द्वारा लिखी गई है। इस कविता में कवि अपनी पालतू बिल्ली के बारे में बात करता है। उसका नाम जेनीनीडॉट्स है। उसके कोट पर धारियों और काले धब्बों के साथ भूरे रंग का फर है। बिल्ली दिन भर निष्क्रिय रहती है। दिन में वह घर में चटाई, और सीढि़यों पर बैठती है और कुछ भी नहीं करती है।

जब दिन का काम हो जाता है, तो वह अपना काम शुरू करती है और बेसमेंट में जाती है। उसे तहखाने में चूहों का व्यवहार पसंद नहीं है। वह चूहों को लाइन में खड़ा करती है और उन्हें संगीत सिखाती है और ऊन और कुछ विशेष सुइयों से कपड़े बनाना सिखाती है। इन सुइयों के एक सिरे पर हुक होते हैं। कवि कहता है कि उसकी तरह की बिल्ली मिलना मुश्किल है। अगले दिन वह हमेशा की तरह चारों ओर बैठती है और धूप और गर्म स्थानों में बैठना पसंद करती है। बिल्ली चूल्हे के पास या बिस्तर पर या कवि की टोपी पर बैठना पसंद करती है।

लेकिन शाम के समय उसकी गतिविधियां चूहों को शरारत से दूर रखने के लिए व्यस्त रखने की होती हैं। गंबी बिल्ली को पता चलता है कि चूहे बहुत शोर करने वाले और परेशान करने वाले होते हैं और उसे लगता है कि कि यह चूहों के अनियमित आहार के कारण हो सकता है। वह पकाना और तलना शुरू करती है और उनके लिए ब्रेड और सूखे मटर के केक बनाती है। गंबी बिल्ली पर्दों से खेलना पसंद करती है और सपाट और चिकनी चीजों पर बैठती है। वह तिलचट्टे को रोजगार देकर उन्हें शरारतों से दूर रखने की भी सोचती है। उसने उन्हें मददगार बॉय स्काउट्स में बदल दिया और उन्हें जीवन भर के लिए एक अच्छा काम दिया। बिल्ली का असली मकसद इन जीवों को शरारतों से दूर रखना है।

अंत में, कवि कहता है कि हमें गम्बी बिल्ली को तीन चीयर्स देना चाहिए जिस पर हमारा सुव्यवस्थित घर निर्भर करता है।

Theme of Poem The Gumbie Cat

The poem revolves around a cat named Jennyanydots, who is said to be practical. During the day she sits on mats, stairs and steps in the house doing nothing at all. She does not show any activities until it is nighttime when she heads to the basement. The real purpose of a cat is to keep mice and cockroaches from destroying household items.

Rhyme Scheme of Poem The Gumbie Cat

The poet has 38 lines and has 7 paragraphs in total. The poem follows a simple rhyme scheme of AABB. The poem is in the form of rhyming couplets. The last word of each couple rhymes with each other.

The Gumbie cat Poem Stanza wise Explanation

Stanza 1

I have a Gumbie Cat in mind, her name is Jennyanydots:
Her coat is of the tabby kind, with tiger stripes and leopard spots.
All day she sits upon the stair or on the steps or on the mat;
She sits and sits and sits and sits–and that’s what makes a Gumbie Cat!

Reference: These lines are taken from the poem “The Gumbie Cat” written by T.S. Eliot. In these lines, the poet describes the physical description of the cat.

Explanation: The poet has a pet cat named Jennyanydots. She has a patched coat of fur on her body. The fur has stripes like the tiger and dark spots like a leopard in it. The remains lazy during the time and can be seen sitting on the places like stairs, steps or the mat.

Stanza 2

But when the day’s hustle and bustle is done,
Then the Gumbie Cat’s work is but hardly begun.
And when all the family’s in bed and asleep,
She tucks up her skirts to the basement to creep.
She is deeply concerned with the ways of the mice
Their behaviour’s not good and their manners not nice;
So when she has got them lined up on the matting.
She teaches them music, crocheting and tatting.

Reference: These lines are taken from the poem “The Gumbie Cat” written by T.S. Eliot. In these lines, the poet describes the work of a cat in the night.

Explanation: The starts its work at the onset of night. When everybody is asleep, she heads toward the basement. The cat is very concerned about the behaviour of mice because their manners are not nice. She gets the mice lined up and she teaches them music, making clothes from wool with some special needles and also making knotted lace.

Stanza 3

I have a Gumbie Cat in mind, her name is Jennyanydots;
Her equal would be hard to find, she likes the warm and sunny spots.
All day she sits beside the hearth or on the bed or on my hat:
She sits and sits and sits and sits–and that’s what makes a Gumbie Cat!

Reference: These lines are taken from the poem “The Gumbie Cat” written by T.S. Eliot. In these lines, the poet describes the cat as unmatched and also describes the behaviour of the cat during the daytime.

Explanation: The poet feels that it is difficult to find a cat of its kind. She likes to sit in sunny and warm spots. The cat likes to sit beside the hearth or on the bed or on the poet’s hat. The cat remains inactive and rests here and there the whole day.

Stanza 4

But when the day’s hustle and bustle is done,
Then the Gumbie Cat’s work is but hardly begun.
As she finds that the mice will not ever keep quiet.
She is sure it is due to irregular diet;
And believing that nothing is done without trying,
She sets right to work with her baking and frying.
She makes them a mouse–cake of bread and dried peas,
And a beautiful fry of lean bacon and cheese.

Reference: These lines are taken from the poem “The Gumbie Cat” written by T.S. Eliot. In these lines, the poet describes the activities of the cat during the night.

Explanation: The cat starts its work again at the night. She finds the mice are very noisy and annoying and thinks that it might be due to their irregular diet. She believes that it can be corrected if tried. She starts baking and frying and makes cakes of bread and a dried pea for them. She also fried lean meat and cheese for the mice.

Stanza 5

 I have a Gumbie Cat in mind, her name is Jennyanydots;
The curtain-cord she likes to wind, and tie it into sailor-knots.
She sits upon the window-sill, or anything that’s smooth and flat;
She sits and sits and sits and sits–and that’s what makes a Gumbie Cat!

Reference: These lines are taken from the poem “The Gumbie Cat” written by T.S. Eliot. In these lines, the poet describes the activities of the cat the next day.

Explanation: The cat also likes to play with curtain ropes. She winds them and ties them into sailor knots. The cat also likes to rest on the window sill or anything smooth and flat. One can see a cat resting for the full day.

Stanza 6

But when the day’s hustle and bustle is done,
Then the Gumbie Cat’s work is but hardly begun.
She thinks that the cockroaches just need employment
To prevent them from idle and want on destroyment.
So she’s formed, from that lot of disorderly louts,
A troop of well-disciplined helpful boy-scouts,
With a purpose in life and a good deed to do
And she’s even created a Beetles’ Tattoo.

Reference: These lines are taken from the poem “The Gumbie Cat” written by T.S. Eliot. In these lines, the poet describes the activities of the cat during the other night.

Explanation: She believes that cockroaches can be kept away from destroying things by giving them employment. She turned disordered young cockroaches into helpful boy scouts and gives them a good deed for life. Her main aim is to keep them away from misdeeds. She has also created a Beetles’s Tattoo band.

Stanza 7

So for Old Gumbie Cats let us now give three cheers
On whom well-ordered households depend, it appears.

Reference: These lines are taken from the poem “The Gumbie Cat” written by T.S. Eliot. In these lines, the poet cheers the cat for she kept the house well-ordered manner.

Explanation: Finally, the poet says we should give three cheers to the Gumbie cat on whom our well-ordered household depends.

Reading is Fun

Language Work

A. Pick out the rhyming words in the poem:

Ans. Dots — Spots,

Mat — Cat,

Done — Begun,

Asleep — Creep,

Mice — Nice,

Matting —Tatting,

Quiet — Diet,

Trying — Frying,

Peas — Cheese,

Flat — Cat,

Employment — Destroyment,

Louts — Boy scouts,

Do — Tattoo, and Cheers — Appears are the rhyming words in the poem.

B. What are the things you like to do?

1. I like to ______________
2. ______________
3. ______________
4. ______________
5. ______________

Ans.

1. I like to plant trees.
2. I like to write a blog.
3. I like to keep things in order.
4. I like to visit new places.
5. I like to watch informative videos.

C. What are the things you don’t like to do?

1. ______________
2. ______________
3. ______________
4. ______________
5. ______________

Ans.

1. I don’t like to hurt others.
2. I don’t like watching TV for a long time.
3. I don’t like dishonour elders.
4. I don’t like cutting trees.
5. I don’t like sitting idle at home.

D. Write a short paragraph on your hobby.

Ans. Hobby means the things that people love to do in their free or leisure time. I love to do some things in my free time. I like to look after the plants in my surroundings watering them also planting new trees. I also love to write a blog for my students where I share my knowledge with the students. The name of my blog is My Answers Hub. Our hobby keeps us busy and we do not feel getting bored.

Grammar Work

E. Make Adverbs:

Deep           ______________

Nice             ______________

Careful       ______________

Silent          ______________

Hard          ______________

Disorder     ______________

Neat            ______________

Soft            ______________

Ans.

Deep ———Deeply

Nice———-Nicely

Careful——Carefully

Silent——–Silently

Hard———Hardly

Disorder—-Disorderly

Neat———Neatly

Soft———-Softly

F. Pick out the adverbs from the poem:

Ans. Hardly, Deeply, Disorderly, Well, Ever, Quiet, Beside, right etc.

G. Write down the qualities of a good student.

1. A good student is always neatly dressed.
2. ______________
3. ______________
4. ______________
5. ______________
6. ______________
7. ______________
8. ______________
9. ______________
10. ______________

Ans. 1. A good student is always neatly dressed.

2. A good student obeys the teachers.
3. A good student comes to school daily.
4. A good student does his homework well.
5. A good student always remains punctual.
6. A good student is honest.
7. A good student respects his elders.
8. A good student never fights with his schoolmates.
9. A good student does not throw rubbish here and there in school.
10. A good student is always truthful.

Let’s Write

Write a short paragraph on your favourite animal.

Ans. My favourite animal is Dog. A dog is a very faithful animal and always remains loyal to his master. He always looks after his master’s house and obeys him. He accompanies his master during a walk. He barks at strangers and welcomes the known person. I feed him with meat, bread, milk, chapatti, egg etc.

I have made a kennel for him. I also look after him. I take good care of his food, shelter and even vaccination. In winter, I keep him inside the house and wear a sweater to him. He plays with · me. He waits for me near the gate; when I am outside. I love him very much.

Extra Questions of Poem The Gumbie Cat

1. Who is the writer of the poem ‘The Gumbie Cat”

Ans. The poem ‘The Gumbie Cat’ has been written by T.S.Eliot.

2. What is the name of a Gumbie cat?

Ans. The name of a Gumbie cat is Jennanydots.

3. What does the cat do all day?

Ans. The cat keeps sitting all day.

4. When does the cat start her work?

Ans. The cat starts her work after day’s hustle and bustle is over.

5. What is gumbie cat deeply concerned about?

Ans. The Gumbie cat is deeply concerned about the behaviour and manners of mice.

6. What does Gumbie cat teach the mice?

Ans. The Gumbie cat teaches music, crocheting and tatting to the mice.

That’s all about The Gumbie Cat Class 7 Summary and Question Answers. Hope it has helped. Do share your views about his post in the comment section below.