The People Upstairs Class 7 English
In this poem, American poet Ogden Nash describes how it feels to have extremely noisy neighbours.
Word Meaning
Bowling alley : A place where people go bowling
Pogo Sticks : vertical sticks to hop around on, with handles,footrests on a spring
Abates : becomes less
Understand the Poem
A. Tick the correct options.
1. The people living upstairs
a. learn and practise ballet.
b .take people on conducted tours,
c .hop around on pogo sticks.
d . make a lot of noise.
e .do none of the above.
Answer:
2. The poet dislikes the people upstairs because
a they have too many parties and guests.
b. they play their television loudly.
c they use roller skates in the bathroom.
d their bathroom floor leaks on his ceiling.
e. they live right above his house.
Answer: a ,c and e
B. Discuss in class.
1. They try to get their parties to mix
a. Who was trying to get the parties to mix?
Answer: The people upstairs trying to get the parties to mix.
b. How did they achieve this?
Andwer: They achieve it by celebrating week ends all the week and suppling their guests with pogo sticks.
2. If only they lived on another floor.
a. What did the poet think would happen if they lived on another floor?
Answer : The poet thought that he would not be disturbed by anyone if they lived on another floor.
b. What does the poet want to say about the people upstairs?
Answer : The poet wants to say that the people upstairs make a lot of noise. He wants them to live on another floor.
C. Discuss with a partner and share your answers in class.
1. Do you find the poem amusing or funny? What makes it so?
Answer : The poem is Funny as the people living upstairs do the dance practise in high volume of the Radio, celebrate week- ends, take high shower that the ceiling seems to be leaked and go to the bathroom on roller skates. It makes the poem very funny.
2. When you tell a funny story do you exaggerate the incident or any details?
In what way does the poet exaggerate what the people upstairs do?
Answer: we also exaggerate the funny stories. The poet exaggerates the poem when he says that the people upstairs conducted tours, do the dance practise in high volume of the Radio then others, celebrate week-ends, take high shower that the ceiling seems to be leaked and go to the bathroom on roller skates.
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