Chapter 6 – This is Jody’s Fawn

Content Structure

  • A. Word meanings
  • B. Exercise questions and answers
    • Unit I – Comprehension Check
    • Unit II – Comprehension Check
    • Unit III – Comprehension Check
    • Working with the text
    • Working with language
    • Speaking
    • Writing
  • C. Additional questions and answers
    • Multiple choice questions & answers (MCQs)
      • Unit – I
      • Unit – II
      • Unit – III
    • Fill in the blanks
    • True or false
    • Match the following
    • Short-type questions & answers
      • Unit – I
      • Unit – II
      • Unit – III
    • Long-type questions & answers
  • D. Grammar practice with answers

A. Word meanings

Word Meanings
Drift back toThink about something again
DilatedGot bigger
A close shaveA narrow escape
Kept your headStayed calm in a hard time
Hemmed inTrapped in a situation where you can’t say no
AcornsSmall brown nuts from oak trees
Sidled backMoved back slowly and quietly
Every which wayIn different directions
Makes a bearingHelps find the way, like a compass
BuzzardA big bird that eats dead animals
AdjacentVery close
PartedPushed to the side
QuiveringShaking a little
Delirious:Very, very excited and not thinking clearly
ConvulsionShaking
A china deerA small, breakable clay deer
SleekSmooth
HoistPull up higher
Light-headedConfused
RompPlay
AlarmScare
BalkedDidn’t want to do something

B. Exercise questions and answers

Unit I – Comprehension Check

1. What happened to Jody’s father?
Ans: Jody’s father, Penny, was bitten by a rattlesnake while he was in the forest. The bite was very dangerous, and he needed quick treatment to survive.

2. How did the doe save Penny’s life?
Ans: Penny killed the doe to treat the snakebite. He put the doe’s fresh liver on the bite to pull out the poison and help him get better.

3. Why does Jody want to bring the fawn home?
Ans: Jody felt guilty because the fawn’s mother had been killed to save his father. He knew that the fawn could not survive alone in the forest without its mother. So, he wanted to bring it home, take care of it, and feed it gourd milk.

4. How does Jody know the fawn is a boy?
Ans: Jody looked at the fawn carefully. He saw that there was no milk on the fawn’s lips, which meant it had not been drinking from its mother. By looking at the fawn’s body and signs, Jody knew that it was a male.

Unit II – Comprehension Check

1. Jody didn’t want Mill-wheel with him for two reasons. What were they?
Ans: Jody did not want Mill-wheel with him for two reasons. First, he wanted to find the fawn by himself because he felt it was his responsibility to care for it. Second, he thought that if Mill-wheel was with him, the fawn might get scared and run away before he could go near it.

2. Why was Mill-wheel afraid to leave Jody alone?
Ans: Mill-wheel was afraid to leave Jody alone because the forest was dangerous and Jody was just a young boy.

Unit III – Comprehension Check

1. How did Jody bring the fawn back home?
Ans: Jody gently picked up the fawn and carried it home. Since the fawn was weak, he held it carefully to keep it safe. When Jody got tired, he put the fawn down for a short time, but it stayed close to him and didn’t run away.

2. Jody was filled with emotion after he found the fawn. Can you find at least three words or phrases which show how he felt?
Ans: Jody felt excited, relieved, and happy when he found the fawn. He was glad to see it alive, felt better knowing he could take care of it, and was thankful that he could bring it home.

3. How did the fawn drink milk from the gourd?
Ans: At first, the fawn didn’t know how to drink milk from the gourd. So, Jody dipped his fingers in the milk, and the fawn sucked on his fingers to drink the milk.

4. Why didn’t the fawn follow Jody up the steps as he had thought it would?
Ans: The fawn had never seen steps before, so it didn’t know how to go up the steps. It was used to walking on the soft forest ground, and the wooden steps felt strange and new to it.

Working with the text

1. Why did Penny Baxter allow Jody to go find the fawn and raise it?
Ans: Penny Baxter allowed Jody to go and find the fawn because he knew Jody felt sad and guilty that the fawn’s mother was killed to save him. He understood that Jody wanted to take care of the fawn and make things right.

2. What did Doc Wilson mean when he said, “Nothing in the world ever comes quite free”?
Ans: Doc Wilson meant that everything has a cost. He was explaining that since they had taken the life of the fawn’s mother to save Penny, they now had a responsibility to care for the fawn. It was a way of balancing their actions with moral responsibility.

3. How did Jody look after the fawn after he accepted the responsibility for it?
Ans: Jody brought the fawn home and took good care of it by feeding it milk through his fingers, being kind and patient like a mother caring for her baby.

4. How does Jody’s mother react when she hears that he is going to bring the fawn home? Why does she react this way?
Ans: Jody’s mother was surprised and did not support the idea of bringing the fawn home. She was worried about Jody’s safety.

Working with language

1. Here are some questions in direct speech. Put them into reported speech.
(i) Penny said, “Do you really want it son?”
(ii) Mill-wheel said, “Will he ride back with me?”
(iii) He said to Mill-wheel, “Do you think the fawn is still there?”
(iv) He asked Mill-wheel, “Will you help me find him?”
(v) He said, “Was it up here that Pa got bitten by the snake?”
Ans:

  • (i) Penny asked his son if he really wanted that.
  • (ii) Mill-wheel asked if he would ride back with him.
  • (iii) He asked Mill-wheel if he thought the fawn was still there.
  • (iv) He asked Mill-wheel if he would help him find the fawn.
  • (v) He asked if it was up there that Pa had been bitten by the snake.

2. Say whether the verb in each sentence below transitive or intransitive. Ask yourself a ‘what’ question about the verb, as in the example above. (For some verbs, the object is a person, so ask the question ‘who’ instead of ‘what’).

(i) Jody then went to the kitchen. (Intransitive)
(ii) The fawn wobbled after him. (Intransitive)
(iii) You found him. (Transitive)
(iv) He picked it up. (Transitive)
(v) He dipped his fingers in the milk. (Transitive)
(vi) It bleated frantically and butted him. (Transitive)
(vii) The fawn sucked his fingers. (Transitive)
(viii) He lowered his fingers slowly into the milk. (Transitive)
(ix) It stamped its small hoofs impatiently. (Transitive)
(x) He held his fingers below the level of the milk. (Transitive)
(xi) The fawn followed him. (Transitive)
(xii) He walked all day. (Intransitive)
(xiii) He stroked its sides. (Transitive)
(xiv) The fawn lifted its nose. (Transitive)
(xv) Its legs hung limply. (Intransitive)

3. Here are some words from the lesson. Working in groups, arrange them in the order in which they would appear in the dictionary. Write down some idioms and phrasal verbs connected to these words. Use the dictionary for more idioms and phrasal verbs.

CloseDrawMake WonderScrawny
PartedClearingSweetLightPick

Ans: The words are arranged in the following sequence in the dictionary:
Cleaning, Close, Draw, Light, Make, Parted, Pick, Scrawny, Sweet, Wonder

Idioms and Phrasal verbs with examples are:

  • Clearing – Clear up, Clear-headed, Clear out, Clear the air, clear as day
  • Close – Close call, Close in on, Close ranks, Close to the bone, Close off
  • Draw – Draw a blank, Draw up , Draw out, Draw the line, Draw in, Draw back
  • Light – Light up, See the light, make light of, Bring to light, Light at the end of the tunnel
  • Make – Make up, Make out, Make a difference, Make the most of, make up for
  • Parted – Part ways, Part company, Part with, Tears parted them, hairs parted in the middle
  • Pick – Pick up, Pick on , Pick apart, Pick and choose
  • Scrawny – Skin and bones, As thin as a rake, Bony as a skeleton, Lean and mean, A bag of bones
  • Sweet – Sweet tooth, Sweeten the deal, Short and sweet, A sweet escape, Sweet talk
  • Wonder – No wonder, Wonder about, Small wonder, Work wonders, In a world of wonder

Speaking

1. Do you think it is right to kill an animal to save a human life? Give reasons for your answer.
Ans: It is not right to kill an animal to save a human life because every living being has the right to live. Animals feel pain just like people do and they are an important part of nature. We should try to find other ways to help people without hurting animals. Saving one life should not mean taking another.

2. Imagine you wake up one morning and find a tiny animal on your doorstep. You want to keep it as a pet but your parents are not too happy about it. How would you persuade them to let you keep it? Discuss it in groups and present your arguments to the class.
Ans: If I found a tiny animal on my doorstep I would feel very excited to take care of it but if my parents were not happy about it, I would try to convince them kindly. I would tell them that the little animal needs a home and that I would take full responsibility for feeding it, cleaning up after it, and keeping it safe. I would also explain that having a pet can teach me kindness and responsibility. If they were still unsure I would promise to follow their rules and even ask a vet how to take care of it properly.

Writing

1. Imagine you have a new pet that keeps you busy. Write a paragraph describing your pet, the things it does, and the way it makes you feel. Here are some words and phrases that you could use. frisky, smart, disobedient, loyal, happy, enthusiastic, companion, sharing, friend, rolls in mud, dirties the bed, naughty, lively, playful, eats up food, hides the newspaper, drinks up milk, runs away when called, floats on the water as if dead.
Ans:

My Naughty and playful Puppy, Bruno
I have a puppy named Bruno. He is very naughty and fun to be with. When I get home he wags his tail, jumps on me and runs all around the house. Sometimes he drinks my milk and hides the newspaper when I’m not looking. Bruno is smart but he is also a little naughty. He loves to get dirty, roll in the mud, and make a mess. He is very loyal and always comes back wagging his tail even when he doesn’t listen and runs away when I call him. He is my best friend and I love playing with him.

2. Human life is dependent on nature (that’s why we call her Mother Nature). We take everything from nature to live our lives. Do we give back anything to nature?
(i) Write down some examples of the natural resources that we use.
(ii) Write a paragraph expressing your point of view regarding our relationship with nature.
Ans:
(i) Examples of Natural Resources We Use:
Every day, we use many things from nature. We eat fruits and vegetables from plants, breathe clean air, and get wood, paper, and fruits from trees. We also get food, milk, and eggs from animals.

(ii) Our Relationship with Nature:
Nature takes care of us, but most of the time we forget to care for it. We harm animals, pollute the air, and cut down too many trees. This hurts nature and also affects our lives. We should protect nature by planting more trees and keeping our surroundings clean.

3. In This is Jody’s Fawn, Jody’s father uses a ‘home remedy’ for a snake bite. What should a person now do if he or she is bitten by a snake? Are all snakes poisonous? With the help of your teacher and others, find out answers to such questions. Then write a short paragraph on — What to do if a snake chooses to bite you.
Ans: Not all snake bites are dangerous, and not all snakes are poisonous. If a snake bites someone they should stay calm and act quickly by keeping still as too much movement can spread the poison faster. The bitten area should not be cut or sucked because this can make things worse. It is best to keep the affected part still and at the same level as the heart. Getting medical help as soon as possible is very important. If it is safe to do so try to remember the color and shape of the snake to help doctors give the right treatment.

C. Additional questions and answers

Multiple choice questions & answers (MCQs)

Unit – I

1. Who was Penny in “Jody’s Fawn”?
(a) Jody’s uncle
(b) Jody’s father
(c) Jody’s friend
(d) A hunter

Ans: (b) Jody’s father

2. What does “doe” mean?
(a) A baby deer
(b) A female deer
(c) A male deer
(d) A type of bird

Ans: (b) A female deer

3. Who did Jody ride back with?
(a) His father
(b) Mill-wheel
(c) Doc Wilson
(d) His mother

Ans: (b) Mill-wheel

4. What was Jody’s mother doing?
(a) Cooking food
(b) Reading a book
(c) Washing dishes
(d) Pouring coffee

Ans: (d) Pouring coffee

5. Why did they kill the doe?
(a) For food
(b) To save Penny’s life
(c) To protect the farm
(d) To save Jody’s life

Ans: (b) To save Penny’s life

6. What part of the doe was used to draw out the poison?
(a) Heart
(b) Skin
(c) Liver
(d) Bones

Ans: (c) Liver

7. When did Jody say he would be back?
(a) Before sunset
(b) Before dinner
(c) Before midnight
(d) Before breakfast

Ans: (b) Before dinner

8. How did Jody travel with Mill-wheel?
(a) On foot
(b) In a cart
(c) On the horse
(d) On a bicycle

Ans: (c) On the horse

Unit – II

1. Who bit Jody’s father, Penny Baxter?
(a) A scorpion
(b) A rattlesnake
(c) A wild dog
(d) A bear

Ans: (b) A rattlesnake

2. Why did Jody decide to go on foot?
(a) He was tired of riding
(b) The scrub was too thick for a horse
(c) Mill-wheel asked him to
(d) The fawn was too far

Ans: (b) The scrub was too thick for a horse

3. Which tree helped Jody find the place?
(a) Oak tree
(b) Banyan tree
(c) Tall pine tree
(d) Mango tree

Ans: (c) Tall pine tree

4. Which side had a tall pine tree?
(a) North
(b) South
(c) East
(d) West

Ans: (a) North

5. What sound did Jody hear in the scrub?
(a) Birds chirping
(b) Water flowing
(c) His own crackling of twigs
(d) A wolf howling

Ans: (c) His own crackling of twigs

6. Where did the buzzards go after Jody scared them?
(a) They flew an adjacent tree
(b) They flew in the sky
(c) They hid behind the rocks
(d) They attacked Jody

Ans: (a) They flew an adjacent tree

7. What bird did Jody see in front of him?
(a) Eagle
(b) Owl
(c) Crow
(d) Buzzard

Ans: (d) Buzzard

8. Why were the buzzards sitting in a circle?
(a) To protect the doe
(b) To eat the doe’s carcass
(c) To playing together
(d) To scared of Jody

Ans: (b) To eat the doe’s carcass

9. What did Jody look for in the sand?
(a) Small hoof prints
(b) Cat foot prints
(c) Bird feathers
(d) His own footprints

Ans: (a) Small hoof prints

10. How did Jody search for the fawn’s tracks?
(a) By climbing a tree
(b) By crawling on all fours
(c) By following the buzzards
(d) By calling out loudly

Ans: (b) By crawling on all fours

Unit – III

1. How did the fawn look at Jody?
(a) With fear
(b) With anger
(c) With wide, wondering eyes
(d) Without any interest

Ans: (c) With wide, wondering eyes

2. How did the fawn’s skin feel?
(a) Rough and dirty
(b) Rough and sleek
(c) Soft and sleek
(d) Wet and muddy

Ans: (c) Soft and sleek

3. What did Jody notice about the fawn’s scent?
(a) It smelled like flowers
(b) It had a sweet scent of grass
(c) It had no smell
(d) It smelled like mud

Ans: (b) It had a sweet scent of grass

4. What does “China deer” mean?
(a) A deer made of real gold
(b) A strong and powerful deer
(c) A wild deer found in China
(d) A clay deer that is easily broken

Ans: (d) A clay deer that is easily broken

5. In which month does Jody’s story take place?
(a) March
(b) September
(c) June
(d) December

Ans: (c) June

6. How did the clearing look after the night’s rain?
(a) Dry and dusty
(b) Fresh and green
(c) Dark and muddy
(d) Covered in fog

Ans: (b) Fresh and green

7. What helped Jody cool down after sweating?
(a) A light breeze
(b) Drinking spring water
(c) Sitting under a tree
(d) Jumping into a river

Ans: (a) A light breeze

8. What did Jody pour into the small gourd?
(a) Water
(b) Milk
(c) Juice
(d) Tea

Ans: (b) Milk

9. What did the fawn do when it smelled the milk?
(a) Drank it
(b) Pushed the gourd
(c) Ran away
(d) Went to sleep

Ans: (b) Pushed the gourd

10. Who wrote the prose “This Is Jody’s Fawn”?
(a) Ruth G. Johnson
(b) Mark Twain
(c) Ernest Hemingway
(d) John Steinbeck

Ans: (a) Ruth G. Johnson

Fill in the blanks

1. Jody felt _____________ after touching the fawn’s soft neck. (Delirious)
2. Jody was walking with Mill-wheel through the ______________. (Clearing)
3. The fawn’s ____________ were soft and limp when Jody lifted it. (Legs )
4. Jody was excited and _____________ when he saw the fawn for the first time. (Trembling)
5. The fawn lifted its ___________ as it smelled Jody. (Nose)
6. The _____________ were sitting in a circle around the carcass of the doe. (Buzzards)
7. The __________________ was thick and hard to pass for a horse. (Scrub)
8. Jody’s mother was worried about him going to find the _______________. (Fawn)
9. Jody took the _____________ from the kitchen to feed the fawn. (Milk)
10. Jody used the ____________ of the _____________ to save his father. (Liver, doe)

True or false

1. Jody was a bad boy. (False)

2. The fawn was found in a forest clearing. (True)

3. Jody’s mother was excited and encouraged him to bring the fawn home. (False)

4. Fawn drank cow’s milk. (False)

5. The fawn skin was too hard and rough. (False)

6. Jody finds the fawn for hunting. (False)

7. The fawn’s legs were long and stiff. (True)

8. Jody saw a tiger footprint on the sand. (False)

9. Jody was scared when he saw the fawn. (False)

10. Jody was happy to find the fawn. (True)

Match the following

Column AColumn B
(i) Dilateda) Frighten
(ii) Convulsionb) Play
(iii) Pennyc) Nearby
(iv) Partedd) Enlarged
(v) Adjacente) Shiver
(vi) Alarmf) Jody’s father
(vii) Rompg) Moved

Ans:

Column AColumn B
(i) Dilatedd) Enlarged
(ii) Convulsione) Shiver
(iii) Pennyf) Jody’s father
(iv) Partedg) Moved
(v) Adjacentc) Nearby
(vi) Alarma) Frighten
(vii) Rompb) Play

Short-type questions & answers

Unit – I

1. Why was Jody sad?
Ans: Jody was sad because his father, Penny, had been bitten by a snake and became very sick. He also felt bad that a doe had to be killed to save his father’s life.

2. Why was Jody’s mother scared?
Ans: Jody’s mother was scared because she thought the forest was dangerous. She was worried that Jody might get hurt while looking for the fawn.

3. Why did Jody want to find the fawn?
Ans: Jody wanted to find the fawn because he felt it was his duty to take care of it. The fawn’s mother had been killed to save Jody’s father, so Jody felt guilty about it. He wanted to look after the fawn, feed it, and keep it safe, just like a mother would.

4. Who bit Penny?
Ans: Penny was bitten by a rattlesnake while hunting in the forest. To stop the poison from spreading, he used the liver of a doe as a home remedy.

5. Who went back into the forest with Jody?
Ans: Mill-wheel went back into the forest with Jody to help him find the fawn and to make sure he stayed safe, because Jody was still a young boy.

Unit – II

1. What did Jody mean when he said, “I can make it on foot”?
Ans: Jody said, “I can make it on foot,” meaning he could walk through the forest without using a horse. He felt he was strong enough to do it alone.

2. Describe the fawn.
Ans: The fawn was small and soft with a smooth body and long, weak legs. It looked tired and could not walk properly so it needed care and help to stay safe.

3. Why were the buzzards sitting in a circle near the doe?
Ans: The buzzards were sitting in a circle near the dead doe because they were waiting to eat it.

Unit – III

1. How did the fawn behave after it saw Jody?
Ans: At first, the fawn was scared and took a few steps back when it saw Jody. But soon, it stopped and looked at him with big, gentle eyes. It seemed to understand that Jody was not going to hurt it and slowly began to trust him.

2. How did Jody take care of the fawn after he found it?
Ans: After Jody found the fawn, he carefully picked it up and carried it back home. He fed the fawn milk, allowing it to drink slowly from his fingers. Jody made sure the fawn was safe and comfortable, keeping it close to him. He treated it gently and made sure it wasn’t scared or hurt.

Long-type questions & answers

1. Why did Penny say Jody was smarter than other boys his age?
Ans: Penny said Jody was smarter than other boys his age because Jody had a kind heart and always thought carefully about things. When Penny was bitten by a snake, a doe had to be killed to save his life. At that moment, Jody thought a lot about the fawn that was left alone when its mother died. He realized that the fawn had no one to care for it, so he decided to go into the forest to look after it. This showed that Jody was more caring and responsible than other boys his age.

2. What kind of person was Jody? Did he want to leave the fawn to starve?
Ans: Jody was a kind and responsible boy. He cared a lot about animals and didn’t want them to suffer. When he found out the fawn’s mother died to save his father, he felt it was his job to take care of the baby deer. He couldn’t leave the fawn to starve in the wild. Seeing the fawn alone made him want to protect and help it. This shows that Jody was a caring and thoughtful person.

D. Grammar practice with answers

Change the questions from direct speech to reported speech

1.D: She asked, “What is your name?”
I: She asked what my name was.
2. D. Mom asked, “Did you finish your homework?”
I. Mom asked if I had finished my homework.
3. D. They asked, “Can we play outside?”
I. They asked if they could play outside.
4. D. The doctor asked, “How are you feeling today?”
I. The doctor asked how I was feeling that day.
5. D. The driver asked, “Is this your stop?”
I. The driver asked if that was my stop.
6. D. She asked, “What are you doing now?”
I. She asked what I was doing then.
7. D. Dad asked, “Have you cleaned your room?”
I. Dad asked if I had cleaned my room.
8. D. Grandma asked, “Do you like the cookies I baked?”
I. Grandma asked if I liked the cookies she baked.
9. D. My friend asked, “Why are you sad?”
I. My friend asked why I was sad.
10. D. The shopkeeper asked, “Do you need a bag?”
I. The shopkeeper asked if I needed a bag.

2. Decide if the verb in each sentence is transitive or intransitive.

1. The birds fly in the sky. (Intransitive)
2. I closed the door. (Transitive)
3. He runs every morning. (Intransitive)
4. The boy drew a picture. (Transitive)
5. She ate an apple. (Transitive)
6. The dog barked all night. (Intransitive)
7. The teacher taught the students. (Transitive)
8. We waited at the bus stop. (Intransitive)
9. She sang a beautiful song. (Transitive)
10. The baby cried loudly. (Intransitive)

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