Page 70 - English Expedition Class 4

Said the Duck, ‘As I sat on the rocks,
I have thought over that completely,
8
And I bought four pairs of worsted socks
Which fit my web-feet neatly.

Said the Kangaroo, ‘I’m ready!
All in the moonlight pale;
But to balance me well, dear Duck, sit steady!

And quite at the end of my tail!’
9
So away they went with a hop and a bound ,
And they hopped the whole world three times
round;

And who so happy – O who,
As the Duck and the Kangaroo?

Edward Lear (adapted)

Edward Lear (1812–88) was an English poet, illustrator and
painter. He is famous in the literary world for his nonsensical
poems. He popularized the limerick, a form of poetry that has fi ve
lines. His famous works include ‘The Owl and the Pussycat’ and
A Book of Nonsense, a collection of limericks.

Comprehension

A. Fill in the blanks using words or phrases from the poem.

1. The Kangaroo could hop over the ______________ and the ______________.

2. The Duck felt that his life was a _________________.

3. The Duck lived in a _________________ pond.
4. The Kangaroo feared that the Duck’s cold feet would give him the

_____________________.

5. The Kangaroo asked the Duck to sit at the _________________ of his tail.

8 worsted: woollen 9 bound: leap
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