Lesson 12 – Doctor Dolittle Learns Animal Language
dusting off: removing dirt or dust from something
dresser: a cupboard with shelves, drawers, etc.
Birds’ ABC: the alphabet of birds’ language, simple, basic information about birds’ language.
Things to do
1. Answer the following questions:
(a) Who was Polynesia?
Ans: Polynesia was the name of a parrot.
(b) Why was the doctor excited?
Ans: The doctor was excited because he was surprised to know that animals had a language of their own and could talk to one another.
(c) What did Polynesia and the Doctor do all that afternoon?
Ans: All that afternoon, Polynesia gave the Doctor some bird words to note down in his notebook.
(d) What did Polynesia tell the doctor about animals talking without making a noise?
Ans: Polynesia said that animals sometimes talk without making a noise. They also speak with their ears, feet, tails, noses, and everything else.
(e) When did the doctor give up being a people’s doctor altogether?
Ans: When a doctor learned animal language so well that he could speak and understand everything they said, he gave up being a people’s doctor altogether.
2. Find out and write the following from the lesson:
(a) The words that mean ‘Is the porridge hot yet?’
Ans: Ka-Ka oi-ee, fee-fee.
(b) Something that means ‘Can’t you see that it has stopped raining?’ in dog language.
Ans: The way the dog twitches up one side of his nose means, “Can’t you see that it has stopped raining?” in a dog’s language.
Do you think the two things above, as described in this passage, could be true?
Ans: Yes, the two things described in the passage could be true.
3. Gather information about how animals communicate. Read the examples given below.
(i) Honey bees dance to tell other bees that they have found nectar.
Ans: Honey bees communicate the location of nectar sources through a “waggle dance.” The angle and duration of the dance indicate the direction and distance of the nectar.
(ii) Cats move their tail when they are angry or irritated.
Ans: Cats use their tails to communicate mood. A flicking or lashing tail may indicate irritation, while an upright, puffed-up tail can signal excitement or fear.
(iii) Dogs wag their tail to show pleasure.
Ans: Dogs wag their tails to express a range of emotions, including happiness, excitement, and friendliness. The speed, direction, and height of the wag can indicate different feelings.
(iv) Elephants link their trunks to show affection.
Ans: Elephants use their trunks to communicate in various ways. Linking trunks can be a gesture of affection and bonding among elephants, showing their social nature.
4. If you could learn the language of one animal, what animal would you choose? Why would you choose that animal? What would you talk about? Write it in short.
Ans: I would choose dolphins. Their intelligence and complex social behaviours intrigue us. Learning their language could unlock secrets of the oceans, from migration patterns to understanding their advanced communication. Conversations might include sharing oceanic knowledge, discussing their experiences, and learning about marine ecosystems, fostering a deeper connection between humans and the mysterious underwater world.
5. Learn and write ten letters of any language other than English.
Ans: Ten letters in the Urdu script along with their phonetic pronunciations:
ا – Alif
ب – Be
پ – Pe
ت – Te
ٹ – Ṭe
ث – Se
ج – Jeem
چ – Che
ح – Ḥe
خ – Khe