Tamil Nadu 11th Standard English Book Answers | Macavity The Mystery Cat

11th English : Macavity The Mystery Cat

Unit 4.2 > Macavity The Mystery Cat

Warm Up

A. A French proverb goes thus: ‘The dog may be wonderful prose, but only the cat is poetry.’ You may have observed that all animals possess a number of unique qualities. Fill in the columns with words and phrases associated with each of the following animals

B. People admire some of these animal qualities. What are they? Have you noticed some of them in yourself or in others? Share your views with the class.

• l Faithfulness love and care for the master are the important qualities associated with dog. Stealthiness is associated with cat. Wolf is known for voraciousness whereas elephant is associated with might.
• I am loyal and faithful to my friends. They are also faithful to me. So we work together well. In my neighbour’s behaviour I observe the cat’s quality namely stealthiness. Whenever a meeting of the residents in our area takes place, he enters without others’ notice and leaves the place as stealthily as a cat

GLOSSARY 

• defy – to resist or to challenge
• bafflement – total confusion
• Scotland Yard – the headquarters of London Metropolitan Police Service
• Flying Squad – a police force ready to plunge into action
• levitation – the action of rising and floating in air
• fakir – a holy person who lives on alms and has the power to levitate
• ginger – alert and cautious
• fiend – demon
• feline – cat
• depravity – evil quality
• larder – cupboard for storing food
• rifle – ransack to steal
• Peke – a Pekinese dog
• stifle – to suppress someone from acting
• trellis – wooden bar used as a support for creepers
• Admiralty – a Government Department that administered the British Navy
• deceitfulness – cunningness
• suavity – confidence and sophistication
• alibi – a claim of evidence that one was elsewhere when a crime was committed

A. Based on your understanding of the poem answer the following questions in a sentence or two.

i. What is Macavity’s nickname?

Macavity’s nickname is Hidden Paw.

ii. Why is the Flying Squad frustrated?

When the Flying Squad reaches the scene of crime they could not find Macavity. So it is frustrated.

iii. Which law does Macavity break?

Macavity breaks the human law.

iv. What makes the fakir stare in wonder?

Macavity’s power of levitation makes the fakir stare in wonder.

v. Describe Macavity’s appearance.

Macavity is tall and thin and its eyes are sunken in.

vi. Where can you encounter Macavity?

We can encounter Macavity in a by-street and in the square.

vii. Why does the poet say Macavity is outwardly respectable?

Mecavity is always preoccupied with some serious thoughts. His coat is dusty and his whiskers are unkempt.

viii. Who does the Secret Service suspect when a loss is reported?

The Secret Service suspects Macavity when a loss is reported.

ix. What is Macavity expected to be doing after committing a crime?

He is expected to be relaxing happily or doing difficult division sums.

x. Mention any two qualities of Macavity.

Macavity breaks all human laws, It has power of levitation and it escapes from the scene of crime immediately.

xi. Which two characters does the poet refer to as examples of wicked cats?

The poet refers to Mungojerrie and Griddlebone as examples of wicked cats which are mentioned in the poet’s book ‘Old Possom’s Book of Practical Cats.’

xii. Why is Macavity called the ‘Napoleon of Crime?

Macavity is responsible for all the crimes that happen in its place. So it is called ‘Napoleon of Crime’ which means leader of criminals

B. Read the poem once again and complete the summary using the words given in the box.

‘Macavity – The Mystery Cat’ is a humorous poem, where the poet T.S, Eliot describes the mysterious (a) qualities of a shrewd vile cat. He commits a crime at every possible opportunity. He is an elusive master (b) criminal who leaves no evidence after he commits a crime. Even the Scotland Yard, the London (c) detective agency is unable to arrest him. The Flying Squad is (d) desperate because every time they rush to the crime spot to seize Macavity, he is not there. He breaks the human law as well as the law of (e) gravity. He baffles even a (f) fakir with his powers of levitation. Macavity appears tall and thin with (g) sunken eyes. He is always preoccupied with some serious (h) thoughts. His coat is dusty and his (i) whiskers are unkempt. Macavity is a (j) devil in the guise of a cat. He appears to be outwardly (k) respectable but his actions disprove it. Macavity loots the (l) larder, ransacks the jewels-case and breaks (m) greenhouse glass but wonder of wonders is he is not to be found anywhere there. He is always a mile away from the scene of crime, happily relaxing or doings difficult (n) division sums. He is clever at making up an (o) alibi every time he plots a crime. All the notorious cats are nothing but the (p) agents of Macavity, The Napoleon of Crime.

C. Read the poem and answer the following in a short paragraph of 8 or 10 sentences.

i. What are the mysterious ways in which Macavity acts?

In T.S Eliot’s poem, “Macavity: The Mystery Cat”, he describes the mysterious qualities of a cat of villainous character. Macavity is a tall and thin cat who is always up to some crime. He is too clever to leave any evidence of his guilt. He is an enigma to every detective agency in the world including Scotland Yard and Flying Squad who are specialized in investigating crime. There is never enough proof to arrest him and “he’s a mile away” from all crime spots.

ii. Give an account of Macavity’s destructive mischief.

The poem accuses Macavity of misbehaviour, such as stealing milk, but also holds him responsible for major crimes. He is referred to as a “fiend in feline shape”. He has been suspected of stifling Pekes, vandalism, theft, cheating at cards, and spying. After the crime he will not be found in the place; he will be miles away from the spot of crime. He always keeps an alibi for his crime.

iii. Describe the appearance and qualities of Macavity.

Macavity’s brows are deeply lined as a result of continuous planning of crime. Macavity has sunken eyes and “his head is highly domed”. He never combs his whiskers. His movements resemble that of a snake. He spends his time plotting for his criminal acts and how to carry them out. He is tall and thin. He is a monster of depravity; he has all evil qualities. His coat is untidy and his whiskers are uncombed. He breaks all human laws and he has the power of levitation. Moreover he is very cunning.

D. Read the given lines and answer the questions that follow.

i. ‘Macavity’s a Mystty Cat: he’s called the Hidden Paw..’

a) Does the poet talk about a real cat?

In the poem it seems that he talks about a real cat. But he may mean a skilled and mysterious thief.

b) Why is he called a Hidden Paw?

He is called a Hidden Paw because he is always hidden from the Scotland Yard and Flying Squad.

ii. ‘He’s a bafflement of Scotland Yard, Flying Squad’s despair 
For when they reach the scene of crime – Macavity’s not there!’

a) What’s Scotland Yard?

Scotland Yard is the headquarters of London Metropolitan Police Service. Here means the police head quarters of London.

b) Why does the Flying Squad feel disappointed?

The flying squad is disappointed because when they reach the spot of crime, Macavity will never be there. So they cannot arrest him.

iii. ‘He sways his head from side to side with the movements like a snake
And when you think he’s half asleep he’s always wide awake……’

a) Explain the comparison made here.

Macavity’s movement of his head is compared to the movement of a snake, moving its head from left to right and right to left.

b) What does he pretend to do?

He pretends to sleep.

iv. ‘For he’s a fiend in feline shape, a monster of depravity’.

a) How is the cat described in this line?

The cat is a demon in the shape of a cat and it is full of evil qualities.

b) Explain the phrase ‘monster of depravity’

Monster means huge and depravity means evil quality. So it means the cat is full of evil Qualities.

v. ‘And his footprints are not found in any file of Scotland Yard’s’.

a) What seems to be a challenge for the Scotland Yard?

To find an evidence for Macavity’s crime is a challenge for the Scotland Yard.

b) Why do they need his footprints?

They need his footprints as an evidence to arrest him.

vi. ‘It must have been Macavity!’ but he’s a mile away’

a) What is Macaity blamed for?

Macavity is blamed for a theft

b) Where is he?

He is one mile away from the spot of crime.

vii. ‘There never was a Cat of such deceitfulness and suavity’.

a) Which cat is talked of here?

Macavity is the cat which is talked of here.

b) How is he different from the rest?

In deceitfulness and confidence this cat is different from the rest. This the most deceitful and confident cat.

E. Explain the following lines with reference to the context.

i. ‘His power of levitation would make fakir stare’

Reference:

This line is taken from ‘Macavity-The Mysterious Cat’ written by T.S. Eliot.

Explanation:

He describes a notorious cat which cannot be arrested by the police. It breaks the human laws and law of gravity. It has the power of levitation i.e. flying above. This power makes a holy man who has the power to levitate wonder at the cat .

ii. ‘And when you think he’s half asleep, he’ always wide awake’

Reference:

This line is taken from ‘Macavity-The Mysterious Cat’ written by T.S. Eliot.

Explanation:

He describes about a notorious cat which cannot be arrested by the police. The cat is tall and thin and its eyes are sunken. It moves its head from one side to the other like a snake. It is a deceitful cat and it pretends to be sleeping. When we think that it is half asleep it will be fully awake.

iii. ‘And his footprints are found in any file of Scotland Yards’.

Reference:

This line is taken from ‘Macavity-The Mysterious Cat’ written by T.S. Eliot.

Explanation:

He describes about a notorious cat which cannot be arrested by the police. It is such an elusive cat, that the police could not catch it though they are sure that Macavity is the criminal. It does not leave any evidence of its presence in the spot of crime. The Scotland Yard Police never finds any proof of Macaviity’s criminal activities.

iv. ‘There may be a scrap of paper in the hall or the stairs’.

Reference:

This line is taken from ‘Macavity-The Mysterious Cat’ written by T.S. Eliot.

Explanation:

He describes a notorious cat which cannot be arrested by the police. The poet wants to make it clear that even if the police find some small evidence like scrap of paper in the spot of crime it is not possible to arrest him. It is useless to try to catch Macavity because he will not be found in that palce.

v. ‘He always has an alibi, and one or two to spare’

Reference:

This line is taken from ‘Macavity-The Mysterious Cat’ written by T.S. Eliot.

Explanation:

He describes a notorious cat which cannot be arrested by the police. Macavity has its own way of escaping from the place of crime. He always has an alibi when he commits a crime. Alibi means a claim that one was elsewhere when a crime was committed. Macavity is good to provide an alibi and has some more alibies in store.

F. Eliot has used many figures of speech to present the poem to the readers in an interesting way. He has attributed human qualities to a cat in this poem.

i. Identify the literary devices used in the following lines:

a. He sways his head from side to side with movements like a snake.

Simile.

b. They say he cheats at cards

Parenthetical brackets.

ii. Give four instances where the poet has used alliteration in this poem.

Macavity is a Mystery Cat: he’s called the Hidden Paw

Macavity’s ginger cat he’s tall and thin

His brow is deeply lined with thought, his head is highly domed;

For he’s fiend in feline shape, a monster of depravity.

iii. What is the rhyme scheme used in the poem?

aabb.

iv. Pick out the pair of rhyming words used in the poem.

LISTENING ACTIVITY

First read the following sets of limericks with missing words. Now, listen to them being read out aloud by your teacher or played on the recorder. As you enjoy the absurd fun, complete the verse with what you hear. You may listen to them again, if required.

I

A wonderful bird is the (i) Pelican.
His beaks can hold more than his (ii) belly can
He can hold in his beak
Enough food for a (iii) week!
But I’ll be darned if I know how the Peli-can?

II

There once was a (iv) bear at the zoo
Who always had something to do
When it (v) bored him, you know, to go to and fro,
He (vi) reversed it and went to fro and to

III

There once was a (vii) cute little bunny,
Who I thought was a sweet and (viii) funny
He ate all the carrots,
And looked at the (ix) parrots,
And that was my cute little (x) bunny

SPEAKING ACTIVITY

a. ‘This phrase originates from the fable ‘The Monkey and the Cat’. Explain how Macavity contradicts the phrase ‘cat’s paw’.

‘Cat’s paw’ means a person who is used by someone else to achieve his end. One who acts does it not for him but for somebody else. Macavity does not use others for his crime. He is not used by others also. He commits the crime for his own purpose. So he contradicts the phrase ‘cat’s paw’.

b. ‘When the mouse laughs at the cat, there is a hole nearby’. Explain the meaning of this statement to your friends.

When there is a way to escape the mouse will also laugh at the cat. The mouse is sure that if the cat jumps on him he can escape maybe by entering the hole which is close by. In the same way, if a weak person is happily facing a strong man in a fight, it is clear he has a way to escape from him.

c. Compose your own limericks on an elephant, a peacock and a butterfly. Read it out to
your class

Elephant

Elephants sleep standing up,
and can’t really drink from a cup.
They like a good bath,
but are rotten at math,
and eat from sundown to sun up

Peacock

Elephants sleep standing up,
and can’t really drink from a cup.
They like a good bath,
but are rotten at math,
and eat from sundown to sun up.
Peacock is a sight for people to see
Multi coloured and muscular is he
He has majestic walk
And entices others to talk
A true peacock he might really be

Butterfly

Woke up this morning ready to fly
Each day’s an adventure for you and I
Spread the coloured wings
Sweet songs to sing
Move around like a lady pretty

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