Class 7 Poem ‘A Funny Man’ NCERT Question and Answers

Here are the Questions and Answers for Natalie Joan’s poem ‘A Funny Man,’ from the NCERT Class 7 English textbook, Poorvi. The NCERT solutions given here cover the in-text questions and end-of-the-text exercises from the NCERT textbook Poorvi for Class 7.

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In-text Questions and Answers of ‘A Funny Man’ Poem for Class 7 NCERT English Book Poorvi

Page – 59

Let us do these activities before we read.

Look around you for things or people that make you laugh. Write them in the bubbles given below. Share the reasons for your answers with your classmates and the teacher.

Answers: Sample Answers for students.

Things I Find Funny (For Students)

1. My little brother dancing
   ➡ He dances in a silly way and makes funny faces.
2. Cartoon shows like Motu Patlu or Tom and Jerry
   ➡ Their actions are silly and they do unexpected things.
3. Funny magic tricks
   ➡ The magician acts serious but surprises us with funny results.
4. My classmate’s jokes
   ➡ Sometimes my friend tells jokes that make us laugh loudly.
5. Mimicry or acting like teachers/animals
   ➡ I laugh when someone acts like animals or copies teachers in a good way.
6. People slipping (but not getting hurt)
   ➡ When someone slips in a safe and silly way, it’s funny.

One more set of Answers:

Thing I Find Funny	Why? (Reason)	क्यों? (कारण)
1. Cartoons	The characters do strange, silly things.	किरदार अजीब और मज़ेदार हरकतें करते हैं।
2. My friend’s jokes	He surprises me with funny words and faces.	वह अचानक मज़ेदार बातें और चेहरे बनाकर हँसाता है।
3. Puppies chasing their tail	They run in circles and look so playful.	वह गोल-गोल भागते हैं और बहुत खुश दिखते हैं।
4. Clown at the circus	He wears big shoes and makes everyone laugh.	वह बड़े जूते पहनकर सबको हँसाता है।
5. Funny dance videos	The dancers move in a silly, unexpected way.	वे अजीब ढंग से नृत्य करते हैं और हैरान कर देते हैं।
6. Slip-and-fall jokes	It’s a surprise when someone slips on a banana peel!	कभी-कभी कोई केला छील फिसल जाता है—बहुत मज़ेदार।

Page – 61

Let us discuss

I. Work in pairs. Identify the true statements. Check your answers with the teacher.

1. The poet says that she had never heard such an amusing song.
2. The funny man was quite ill-mannered.
3. The funny man wore two hats on his feet.
4. The funny man hopped on his head to reach home.
5. The funny man gave a rose to the poet.
6. The funny man smiled at the poet.

Answer:

1. ✔️ The poet says that she had never heard such an amusing song.
2. ❌ The funny man was quite ill-mannered. (He was polite.)
3. ✔️ The funny man wore two hats on his feet.
4. ✔️ The funny man hopped on his head to reach home.
5. ❌ The funny man gave a rose to the poet. (He gave a currant bun instead.)
6. ✔️ The funny man smiled at the poet

II. Identify the words from the poem based on the meanings given. Share your answers with your classmates and the teacher.

1. a small seedless raisin – C _ R _ _ _ T
2. moved unsteadily – S _ _ G G _ _ __ D

Answer:

1. A small seedless raisin → C U R R A N T
   (Answer: currant)
2. Moved unsteadily → S T A G G E R E D
   (Answer: staggered)

III. Complete the following sentences with a reason.

1. The tone of the poem ____ is because ____ .
2. The rhyme scheme of the poem is ____ ; and it gives a ____ quality to the poem.
3. The poet has frequently repeated the word ‘funny’ in order to ____.

Answer: Sample answers:

1. The tone of the poem is funny/light because the poet describes a silly man doing funny and strange things.
2. The rhyme scheme of the poem is ABCB ; and it gives a musical and playful quality to the poem.
3. The poet has frequently repeated the word ‘funny’ in order to show how strange and silly the man’s actions were.

One more set of answers:

1. The tone of the poem is humorous because all the actions are silly and make us laugh.
2. The rhyme scheme of the poem is ABCB, and it gives a musical quality to the poem.
3. The poet has frequently repeated the word ‘funny’ in order to emphasize how silly and playful everything is.

IV. Choose the correct answer from the options given in the brackets.

1. The poem uses vivid imagery to create a ____ (humorous and nonsensical/ confusing but thought-provoking) scene.
2. The structure of the poem is in ____ (monologue/ dialogue) form.
3. The phrases ‘sounding sight’ and ‘hopped home’ are examples of ____. (alliteration/simile)

Answer:

1. The poem uses vivid imagery to create a humorous and nonsensical scene.
2. The structure of the poem is in monologue form.
3. The phrases ‘sounding sight’ and ‘hopped home’ are examples of alliteration.

V. Rewrite the following line from the poem in the correct order.

1. But never had I seen before
   Such a funny sounding sight.

Ans. I had never seen such a funny sounding sight before.

2. Why has the poet used phrases like ‘funny sounding sight’ and ‘funny feeling sound’ with reference to the funny man?

Ans. Some reasons are given below.

• The poet has used these silly phrases to make us laugh and show that the funny man is not normal.
• She mixes senses (sight and sound) in a funny way to create a nonsense effect, which children enjoy.
• It shows how the man is so unusual that even what he says and does doesn’t make sense, but is fun to read.

VI. Can you think of any real-world situations where people do similar things for fun, entertainment, or performance? Share with your classmates and the teacher.

Answer: Sample Answer for students.

• Clowns in a circus wear funny clothes, make silly faces, and act in a strange way to make us laugh.
• Magicians and jokers on TV shows act funny to entertain children.
• In school skits or plays, students sometimes play funny characters and do silly actions.
• Mime artists who act out stories without speaking.
• Comedians who use props (like hats or shoes) to make people laugh.

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End-of-the-text Questions and Answers of ‘A Funny Man’ Poem – NCERT Textbook Poorvi for Grade 7

Page: 62 – 63

Let us think and reflect

I. Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.

1. He said, “Allow me to present
   Your Highness with a rose.”
   And taking out a currant bun
   He held it to my nose.
   I staggered back against the wall
   And then I answered, “Well!”

(i) Why does the funny man address the poet as ‘Your Highness’?

Ans: He calls the poet “Your Highness” as a joke, to sound royal and polite in a silly way. It adds to his funny behaviour.

(ii) Choose a phrase from the extract which indicates a polite request.

Ans: “Allow me to present”
(This is a polite way to offer something.)

(iii) Choose the option which shows a ‘currant bun’.

Ans: ✅ B. Image 2
(It shows a round bun with small raisins – which are currants.)

(iv) Complete the sentence with an appropriate reason.
When the poet says, ‘Well!’, it expresses surprise. This was so because _____.

Ans: …the funny man gave a currant bun instead of a rose and held it near the poet’s nose.

2. You never heard in all your life
   Such a funny feeling sound.
   “My friend, why do you wear two hats
   Upon your feet?” I said.
   He turned the other way about,
   And hopped home on his head.

(i) Choose the line from the extract which tells us that the sound was unique.

Ans: “You never heard in all your life
          Such a funny feeling sound.”

(ii) Complete the sentence with an appropriate reason.
The poet calls the funny man ‘my friend’ because _____.

Ans: …because  she wants to talk to him kindly, even though he is acting in a strange way.

(iii) What does the reaction of the funny man to the poet’s question tell us about him?

Ans: It shows that he is very playful and silly. Instead of answering, he turns around and hops away on his head, making everything more funny.

(iv) Choose the correct option to complete the sentence.
The last line of the extract makes the readers feel _____.
A. dreamy   B. impatient   C. worried   D. cheerful

Ans: ✅ D. cheerful
It’s a funny and light-hearted ending that makes us smile.

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II. Answer the following questions.

1. Which character trait of the funny man was most appealing to you? Why?
2. The funny man does unusual things in the poem. How does it affect the overall mood of the poem?
3. What alternative title would you suggest for the poem? Give reason(s) for your choice.
4. Why do you think the poet has included dialogues in the poem?
5. What does the poet wish to convey by highlighting the unusual behaviour of the funny man?

Answers:

Answer Set – 1 (Short Answers)

1. Which character trait of the funny man was most appealing to you? Why?

Ans. His playfulness was most appealing because it made the poem fun.

2. The funny man does unusual things in the poem. How does it affect the overall mood of the poem?

Ans. It makes the mood funny, happy, and light.

3. What alternative title would you suggest for the poem? Give reason(s) for your choice.

Ans. “The Silly Man” – because the poem is all about his silly actions.

4. Why do you think the poet has included dialogues in the poem?

Ans. To make the poem more lively and interesting.

5. What does the poet wish to convey by highlighting the unusual behaviour of the funny man?

Ans. That it’s okay to be different and enjoy fun.

Answer Set – 2

1. Which character trait of the funny man was most appealing to you? Why?

Answer:
I liked that the funny man was polite and playful. Even though he did silly things, he was always kind and cheerful, which made him fun to watch and not rude.

2. The funny man does unusual things in the poem. How does it affect the overall mood of the poem?

Answer:
The funny man’s silly and strange actions make the mood of the poem light, happy, and humorous. His behaviour makes us laugh and enjoy the poem like a fun story.

3. What alternative title would you suggest for the poem? Give reason(s) for your choice.

Answer:
Suggested Title: “The Man Who Wore a Shoe on His Head”
Reason:
This title is funny and tells us something silly and special about the man. It makes readers curious and shows the poem is full of fun.

4. Why do you think the poet has included dialogues in the poem?

Answer:
The poet used dialogues to make the poem feel more lively and real. It helps us understand how the poet and the funny man talked to each other, which makes the poem more interesting and enjoyable.

5. What does the poet wish to convey by highlighting the unusual behaviour of the funny man?

Answer:
The poet wants to show that it’s okay to be different and have fun. We should enjoy creativity and laughter in life. Being a little silly can bring joy to others too.

Would you like a quick worksheet or writing task based on this Q&A for classroom use?

Answer Set – 3

1. Which character trait of the funny man was most appealing to you? Why?

Ans. I liked his playfulness the most.

• He made everything silly, like wearing hats on his feet.
• His playful nature made me laugh and feel happy.

2. The funny man does unusual things in the poem. How does it affect the overall mood of the poem?

Ans. His strange actions create a cheerful and light mood.

• Because he does unexpected things, we feel surprised and amused.
• The poem stays fun and makes us smile all the way through.

3. What alternative title would you suggest for the poem? Give reason(s) for your choice.

Ans. Suggested Title: “The Silly Mr. Upside-Down”

• Reason: It shows how the man does everything backwards—shoe on head, hats on feet, hopping on his head. The word “silly” tells readers it will be a funny poem.

4. Why do you think the poet has included dialogues in the poem?

Ans. Dialogues make the poem lively and easy to follow.

• We hear the funny man speak and the poet’s own words.
• This helps us imagine the scene and feel like we are talking to him.

5. What does the poet wish to convey by highlighting the unusual behaviour of the funny man?

Ans. The poet wants to show that being different and using imagination is fun.

• Unusual behaviour can make us laugh and think in new ways.
• It teaches us not to be afraid of being creative or silly sometimes.

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Page: 63 – 65

Let us learn

I. Match the phrasal verbs in Column 1 with their correct meaning in Column 2.

Answer:

Column 1	Column 2
1. take up	(iii) to begin to study, practice, or do something
2. take after	(v) to resemble or look similar to (usually a family member)
3. take in	(i) to understand or comprehend something
4. take over	(ii) to assume control or responsibility for something
5. take off	(iv) to become successful or popular quickly

Now, fill in the blanks with suitable phrasal verbs from the table given in I. You may change the tense of the verb, if required.

1. The new technology is set to _____ traditional methods of communication.
2. I tried hard to _____ what the writer wanted to say but was unsuccessful.
3. Arjun decided to _____ painting as a hobby.
4. The smartphone quickly _____ the sales in the market.
5. Sheela _____ her father; they have the same smile.

Answer:

1. The new technology is set to take over traditional methods of communication.
2. I tried hard to take in what the writer wanted to say but was unsuccessful.
3. Arjun decided to take up painting as a hobby.
4. The smartphone quickly took off the sales in the market.
5. Sheela takes after her father; they have the same smile.

II. Match the verbs in Column 1 with any suitable adverbs or prepositions in Column 2. Write their meanings in Column 3. An example has been done for you.

Answer:

Column 1	Column 2 (Phrasal Verb)	Column 3 (Meaning)
1. look	look after	to take care of
2. run	run away	to escape or leave suddenly
3. put	put off	to delay or postpone
4. break	break down	to stop working (for machines) / to cry suddenly
5. call	call off	to cancel something

Now, frame sentences of your own using any five phrasal verbs.

Ans. Sentences using five phrasal verbs

1. I will look after my baby sister while Mom is away.
2. The thief tried to run away from the police.
3. We had to put off the picnic because of rain.
4. My scooter broke down in the middle of the road.
5. They had to call off the football match due to a storm.

More Phrasal Verbs Sentences :

1. Take up – Riya decided to take up dancing after school.
   (Started a new activity)
2. Call off – The teacher had to call off the game due to rain.
   (Cancelled something)
3. Break down – The old bus broke down on the way to school.
   (Stopped working)
4. Put off – Please don’t put off your homework till the last minute.
   (Delay doing something)
5. Run away – The puppy ran away when it heard a loud noise.
   (Escaped suddenly)

III. Read the following words from the poem.

Answer:

Arranging the words given in the box in increasing order of pace. (from slow to fast):

1. jog
2. trot
3. sprint

Completing staircase (from bottom to top):

stagger (very slow, unsteady)

walk (steady, normal speed)

1. jog ✅ (light running)

hop (move by jumping)

2. trot ✅ (a bit faster than jogging, like a horse’s light run)

run (fast, strong pace)

3. sprint ✅ (the fastest burst of speed)

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Page: 65

Let us listen

I. You will listen to a girl narrate a personal incident. As you listen, select the picture related to the narration. (Transcript for the teacher on pg. 88)

Answer:

As she describes coming home, taking off her shoes, and going straight to eat lunch, the picture that matches is:

Picture 3 (the girl sitting at the table eating)

II. You will once again listen to the girl narrate a personal incident. As you listen, arrange the events in order of occurrence.

Answer:

Arranging the events in order of occurrence

Correct sequence:
6 → 2 → 1 → 5 → 4 → 3 → 7

• 6. Prepared for the presentation (at her friend’s place before coming home)
• 2. Took off shoes (as soon as she got home)
• 1. Ate lunch (served dal-chawal in the kitchen)
• 5. Placed the plate in the room (she did this by mistake, carrying it to her desk)
• 4. Laughed at the mistake (when she realised the mix-up)
• 3. Put shoes in the room (she then fetched them back from the kitchen)
• 7. Put the plate in the kitchen (finally returned the plate to its proper place)

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Page: 66

Let us speak

Answer:

Here’s a simple and fun joke.

Joke Title: The Clever Student

Narrator:
One day, a student walked up to his teacher with a curious question.

Student (with innocent voice):
Ma’am, if you punish someone for something they didn’t do, is it fair?

Teacher (in calm and wise voice):
Of course not. You should never punish someone for something they didn’t do.

Student (excited voice):
Great! Because I didn’t do my homework!

Narrator (smiling voice):
The teacher is still thinking about what to say next!

More Jokes:

😄 The Library Visit

Narrator:
A boy once walked into a library and walked straight to the librarian.

Boy (polite voice):
Excuse me, can I have a burger and fries?

Librarian (in a whisper):
This is a library!

Boy (now whispering):
Oh, sorry… (whispers) Can I have a burger and fries?

Narrator:
The librarian is still laughing!

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Page: 66

Let us write

II. Follow the structure given below and write a limerick on your own.

Answer:

A complete sample limerick for students, using the given structure, is given below:

Sample Limerick

There was a child from Delhi,
Who danced with an elephant so freely.
He wore a big hat,
And danced with a cat,
Till they both slipped on a jelly!

Format Used:

• Line 1: There was a child from (place) → Delhi
• Lines 2–4: Silly or funny actions → dancing with animals
• Line 5: Funny/Surprising ending → slipping on jelly
• Rhyme scheme: AABBA ✅

More such limericks for students:

Limerick Example 1

There was a child from Delhi,
Who loved to eat bread and jelly.
She sang in the rain,
Then danced on a train,
And slipped with jam on her belly!

Limerick Example 2

There was a young boy from Chennai,
Who hummed a strange little tune.
He sang to his cat,
Who wore a big hat,
And danced all around in the moon!

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Page: 67

Let us explore

Take any story to read and share it with your classmates and the teacher.

Answers:

Here are one short story for each of the four funny and wise characters — Tenali Rama, Birbal, King Vikramaditya & Betal, and Mullah Nasruddin.

1. Tenali Rama – The Thief’s Advice

Once, a rich man asked King Krishnadevaraya to guard his house because he was afraid of thieves.
The king sent Tenali Rama.
Tenali wrote a note and stuck it on the door. It read:

“I know you are planning to rob this house. Come tomorrow.”

That night, the thief read the note and ran away!
He never came back.

Moral: Use cleverness, not anger, to solve problems.

2. Birbal – The Wise Answer

One day, Emperor Akbar asked,
“Birbal, can you tell me how many crows are in my kingdom?”

Birbal smiled and said,
“There are eighty-five thousand, four hundred and seventy-three crows, Jahanpanah.”

The king laughed, “What if there are more?”

Birbal said, “Then some must be visiting their relatives in other cities.”

Akbar clapped and laughed loudly.

Moral: Quick thinking and confidence can win hearts.

3. Mullah Nasruddin – The Coat at the Feast

One day, Mullah Nasruddin went to a feast in old clothes. No one greeted him.
So he went home, wore his best coat, and came back.
Now everyone welcomed him warmly.

While eating, he said,
“Eat coat, eat!”
People were shocked.
He said, “You didn’t welcome me, you welcomed my coat!”

Moral: Never judge people by their clothes or looks.

4. King Vikramaditya & Betal – The Clever Prince

Betal told King Vikramaditya a story:
A king had two sons. One was strong and brave. The other was kind and wise.
The king had to choose who would become the next king.

Question: Who should the king choose?

Vikramaditya replied,
“The kind and wise one, because strength fades, but kindness lasts.”

Betal smiled and flew back to the tree!

Moral: Wisdom and kindness are more powerful than strength.

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II. We can identify the acts of the funny man with certain modern day activities that have playfulness, or unconventional behaviour.
For example: (see the book for the full text)

In these examples, the common theme is humour, imagination, and defying logic or expectation, which is exactly what the funny man in the poem represents.

Page: 68

III. Sukumar Ray, an Indian poet and illustrator, wrote poems in a similar style in his book Abol Tabol.

You may also share a similar poem from your native language with your classmates and the teacher.

Answer:

This page introduces Sukumar Ray, the famous Indian poet and illustrator, known for his nonsense poems in the book Abol Tabol (আবোল তাবোল). These poems are funny, imaginative, and often silly, just like limericks. They are written in Bengali, and children love them for their rhymes, rhythms, and humour.

About Sukumar Ray

• Sukumar Ray was a Bengali poet, artist, and storyteller.
• He wrote poems that were full of fun, silly characters, and strange things.
• His poems like “Khai-Khai,” “Pagla Dashu,” and “Gonph Churi” make children laugh and think at the same time.

Sample (Nonsense-style Poem in English)

Here’s a poem inspired by Sukumar Ray’s style:

There once was a tiger named Ticky,
Who danced every time it got sticky.
He wore a red hat,
Sang songs to a cat,
And said, “Being weird is just tricky!”

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IV. Read and enjoy the poem.

Answer:

That’s a delightful and relatable poem, perfect for children! Here’s a short analysis and breakdown you can use in class:

📝 Title: My Lost Pencil

Summary (in simple words):

The poet is sad and surprised because their pencil has disappeared.
They had it just a moment ago, but now it’s gone!
Maybe it rolled off, fell down, or someone took it.
They’ve lost many pencils before.
So, now they think of tying the pencil with tape or string so it doesn’t get lost again!

Poetic Devices Used:

1. Rhyme – gone/dawn, write/sight, floor/sure, year/disappear
2. Alliteration – “pencil, dear pencil”, “fall to the floor”, “someone swipe”
3. Personification – The pencil is treated like a friend (“dear pencil”).

Glossary (difficult words):

• Swipe – to take quickly or secretly (चुपचाप ले जाना)
• Disappear – to vanish, to be lost (गायब हो जाना)

Message or Moral:

This fun poem reminds us to take care of our things, especially small ones like pencils.

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