English Class 7 — Poorvi
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The Story — Animals, Birds, and Dr. Dolittle

🎓 Class 7 English CBSE Theory Ch 2 — Of Animals, Birds and Dr Dolittle ⏱ ~38 min
🌐 Language: [gtranslate]

This CBSE English Passage Assessment will be based on: The Story — Animals, Birds, and Dr. Dolittle

Assessment Format:
• 2 Short Answer Questions (2 marks each) = 4 marks
• 2 Fill in the Blanks Questions (1 mark each) = 2 marks
• 2 Short Answer Questions (1 mark each) = 2 marks
• 2 Multiple Choice Questions (1 mark each) = 2 marks
Total: 8 Questions, 10 Marks

This CBSE English Grammar Assessment will be based on: The Story — Animals, Birds, and Dr. Dolittle

Assessment Format:
• 10 Randomized Grammar Questions (1 mark each)
• Question Types: Fill in the Blanks, MCQs, Error Identification, Reported Speech, Sentence Completion
Total: 10 Questions, 10 Marks

This English Vocabulary assessment will be based on: The Story — Animals, Birds, and Dr. Dolittle
Targeting Vocabulary & Usage with Intermediate difficulty.

Before We Read — Let Us Do These Activities

Bloom: L2 Understand
Activity I — Pets and Animals Around Us

Think about pets and domestic animals you know.

  1. Do you have a pet or know someone who does? Why do people keep pets?
  2. How do people usually spend time with their pets? Share your thoughts with classmates.
Activity II — Talking with Animals

Imagine a world where people could communicate with animals.

  1. If you could speak with any animal or bird, which would you choose and why?
  2. What do you think that animal or bird would say to you?
Activity III — Animal Body Language

Animals communicate through movement and posture, not just sounds.

Work in pairs: discuss what emotions different animals might be showing through their body language — a dog wagging its tail, a cat arching its back, a bird spreading its wings.

Key Vocabulary Preview

scholar
A learned person with deep knowledge in a subject
cracker
A thin, dry, crispy biscuit — often eaten with cheese
countryside
A rural area outside towns and cities
cellar
A room built below ground level, often used for storage
HL
Hugh Lofting
British Author 1886–1947 Children's Literature
Hugh Lofting was a British author and illustrator celebrated for creating Doctor Dolittle, one of the most beloved characters in children's fiction. Born in England, Lofting began writing the Doctor Dolittle stories in letters to his children during the First World War. His books imagined a gentle doctor who gives up treating human patients to care for animals, learning to speak their languages. The series has delighted readers across generations with its warm humour, compassion for animals, and gentle wit. This excerpt is adapted from The Story of Doctor Dolittle, first published in 1920.

The Story — Animals, Birds, and Dr. Dolittle

Section I

1One afternoon, Doctor Dolittle was seated in his kitchen, chatting with the Cat's-food-Man, who had visited him because of a stomach complaint. The Cat's-food-Man put forward a suggestion — why did the Doctor not switch from treating people to treating animals instead? He pointed out that the Doctor knew far more about animals than any local veterinarian. Even though the Cat's-food-Man himself could not read, his wife Theodosia — a scholar — had read the Doctor's book on cats aloud to him, and he felt the Doctor could think just like a cat.

2Meanwhile, the parrot PolynesiaPersonification was perched on the windowsill, watching the rain and quietly humming a sea song to herself. When the Cat's-food-Man left, Polynesia flew across to the Doctor's table and urged him firmly — give up treating human patients and become an animal doctor instead. "Animals will soon realise you are the finest doctor in the world," she declared.

3"Oh, there are already plenty of animal doctors," said John Dolittle, placing his flowerpots on the windowsill in the rain. Polynesia agreed, but she said none of them were truly capable. She then revealed something astonishing — she told the Doctor that animals could actually talk. The Doctor knew parrots could mimic human speech, but Polynesia explained there was more to it. She could speak in two languages — the language of people and the language of birds. She demonstrated with a phrase in bird language: "Ka-ka oi-ee, fee-fee?" — which meant, "Is the porridge hot yet?"Irony

4The Doctor was astonished and excited. He asked why she had never used bird language with him before. Polynesia replied calmly that he would not have understood her even if she had. The Doctor immediately rushed to fetch a book and pencil, urging her to teach him slowly. He called it "quite new" and "very interesting." That entire rainy afternoon, Polynesia sat on the kitchen table teaching him bird vocabulary, word by word.

5Later, when the dog Jip trotted in, Polynesia told the Doctor to watch carefully — Jip was talking. The Doctor thought Jip was simply scratching his ear, but Polynesia explained that animals do not always use their mouths to speak. They communicate with their ears, feet, tails, and every part of their body. Jip was twitching one side of his nose, which Polynesia translated as a question: "Can't you see that the rain has stopped?"Imagery

6With Polynesia's patient guidance, Doctor Dolittle gradually mastered the language of animals so well that he could speak with them directly and understand all they said. After that, he gave up treating human patients altogether.

Let Us Discuss — After Section I L2 Understand
Question I: The Cat's-food-Man suggests Doctor Dolittle should become an animal doctor because he believes Dolittle ________.
  1. earns less money treating human patients
  2. enjoys the company of animals as they speak less
  3. dislikes spending time with human patients
  4. knows more about animals than the local veterinarians
Answer: Option 4. The Cat's-food-Man praises the Doctor's book on cats and says he knows the way animals think — far better than any vet in the area. His suggestion is based on the Doctor's superior knowledge of animals, not on dislike of humans or financial reasons.
Question II: Doctor Dolittle reacts to Polynesia's information about animal languages with both excitement and ______ (certainty/curiosity). He rushes to ______ (write/memorise) the bird words she provides.
Answer: Doctor Dolittle reacts with excitement and curiosity. He rushes to write the bird words — he fetches a book and a pencil and asks Polynesia to go slowly so he can record everything carefully.
Question III: Do you think Doctor Dolittle would become famous as an animal doctor? Give your reasons.
Model Answer: Yes, Doctor Dolittle would become very famous. His unique ability to understand and speak the languages of animals means he can diagnose their problems directly — something no other doctor or vet can do. Animals would trust him and spread the word among themselves. His willingness to listen, take notes, and learn sincerely makes him the ideal animal doctor.
Section II

7As soon as news spread that Doctor Dolittle was now an animal doctor, elderly ladies began arriving with their pampered poodles and pugs — dogs that had been overfed on cake. Farmers travelled from miles away to bring him their sick cows and sheep. The Doctor's reputation grew steadily.

8One day, a plough horse was brought to him, and the poor animal was overjoyed to find someone who could converse in horse language. The horse explained that the local vet had been treating him for six weeks without understanding his real problem. What the horse actually needed was a pair of spectacles — he was slowly losing sight in one eye. "There is no reason horses cannot wear glasses, just as people do," the horse said. The vet had never even examined his eyes — he had kept giving the horse large pills instead.Irony

9The Doctor immediately agreed and promised to arrange the spectacles. The horse requested green-tinted lenses — to shield his eyes from the bright sun while ploughing the fields. Before leaving, the horse made a wise observation: anyone can claim to treat animals, simply because animals do not complain. In truth, it takes a far more skilled person to be a genuinely good animal doctor than to treat human patients.

10The Doctor kept his word. A fine pair of green spectacles was obtained, and the horse's eyesight was fully restored. Before long, it became a common sight in the countryside around the town of Puddleby to see farm animals wearing glasses, and a blind horse was no longer known.Hyperbole

11The same happened with every other creature that came to him. Once animals realised he could speak their language, they told him exactly where their pain was and how they felt. Diagnosing and curing them became straightforward. These animals returned to their communities and told their friends and families about this remarkable doctor — not just horses, cows, and dogs, but even tiny field creatures like harvest mice, badgers, and bats began making their way to his door.

12So many patients arrived that the Doctor had to install separate doors for each type of animal. He labelled them — 'HORSES' over the front door, 'COWS' over the side door, 'SHEEP' on the kitchen door. Even the mice had a small tunnel made for them leading into the cellar, where they waited in orderly rows for their turn.Imagery

13Within a few years, every living creature for miles around knew the name of Doctor John Dolittle. The birds that migrated to distant countries in winter carried news of him to animals in foreign lands — a doctor who could understand their tongue and help them with their troubles. In this way, he became celebrated among animals across the entire world. He lived a contented life, doing exactly what he loved.

Word Power — Key Vocabulary

L1 Remember
scholar
noun
A highly educated or learned person; someone who studies deeply.
"Theodosia was a scholar who read the Doctor's book aloud."
cracker
noun
A thin, dry, crispy biscuit — often eaten with cheese or as a snack.
Polynesia dusted cracker crumbs off her wing while talking.
countryside
noun
A rural area outside towns and cities; land used for farming and nature.
Farm animals wearing spectacles became a common sight in the countryside.
cellar
noun
A room built below ground level in a house, often used for storage.
The mice waited patiently in rows in the cellar.
spectacles
noun (plural)
A pair of glasses with lenses in a frame, worn to correct vision.
The horse asked for green spectacles to shade his eyes while ploughing.
veterinarian (vet)
noun
A qualified doctor who treats animals — also called a vet.
The vet over the hill had been treating the horse without understanding his real problem.

Character Map — Who's Who in the Story

L4 Analyse
Dr. Dolittle Animal Doctor Polynesia The Parrot Cat's-food-Man Gives advice Jip The Dog Plough Horse Needs spectacles Teaches Advises Speaks to Treated by

Click on any character to learn more. Doctor Dolittle is at the centre, connected to all other key figures in the story.

Let Us Discuss — After Section II L3 Apply
Question I: What became a common sight in Puddleby after Doctor Dolittle started treating animals?
  1. Humans talking to farm animals
  2. Farm animals wearing glasses
  3. Farm animals learning bird language
  4. Birds riding atop farm animals
Answer: Option 2. After the Doctor prescribed green spectacles for the plough horse, it became common to see farm animals wearing glasses around Puddleby. A blind horse soon became unknown in the area.
Question II: Arrange the following events in the correct story order.
  1. A man with a stomach-ache visits Doctor Dolittle and suggests he treat animals. (i — given)
  2. Polynesia encourages Doctor Dolittle and reveals animals can talk. (ii — given)
  3. Polynesia teaches Doctor Dolittle animal languages.
  4. Doctor Dolittle decides to stop treating people and becomes an animal doctor.
  5. A plough horse with vision problems visits; Doctor prescribes green spectacles.
  6. Word spreads and people bring sick pets to Doctor Dolittle.
  7. Animals from near and far crowd the Doctor's garden.
  8. Doctor Dolittle installs special doors for different animals.
  9. Doctor Dolittle gains worldwide fame among animals.
Correct Order: (i) Man with stomach-ache visits → (ii) Polynesia encourages Doctor → (iii) Polynesia teaches animal languages → (iv) Doctor Dolittle gives up treating people → (v) Plough horse gets spectacles → (vi) Word spreads, people bring sick animals → (vii) Animals crowd the garden → (viii) Special doors installed → (ix) Doctor gains worldwide fame.

Let Us Think and Reflect — Extract-Based Questions

CBQ Extract 1

Polynesia and the Bird Language

"If I say, 'Polly wants a cracker', you understand me. But hear this: Ka-ka oi-ee, fee-fee?"
"Good Gracious!" cried the Doctor. "What does that mean?"
"That means, 'Is the porridge hot yet?' — in bird language."
"You never talked that way to me before."
"What would have been the good?" said Polynesia, dusting some cracker crumbs off her left wing. "You wouldn't have understood me if I had."
(i) In the line "Good Gracious!" cried the Doctor, the expression 'Good Gracious' can best be replaced by: L1 Remember
  • A. Bravo
  • B. Gosh
  • C. Alas
  • D. Hurray
Answer: B. Gosh. "Good Gracious" is an exclamation of surprise or shock. "Gosh" carries the same sense of sudden, startled amazement. "Bravo" is for praise, "Alas" is for sorrow, and "Hurray" is for celebration — none of which fit this context.
(ii) Why had Polynesia never used bird language with Doctor Dolittle earlier? L2 Understand
Answer: Polynesia had never used bird language with the Doctor before because he would not have been able to understand it. There was no point in speaking a language that the listener could not comprehend. She only started teaching him after the Cat's-food-Man planted the idea that the Doctor could become a skilled animal doctor.
(iii) True or False: Polynesia had been eating something while talking to Doctor Dolittle. L1 Remember
Answer: True. The extract mentions that Polynesia was dusting cracker crumbs off her left wing — which tells us she had been eating crackers at some point during their conversation.
(iv) How did Doctor Dolittle feel according to the extract? L4 Analyse
  • A. Anxious
  • B. Surprised
  • C. Angry
  • D. Relaxed
Answer: B. Surprised. The Doctor's exclamation "Good Gracious!" and the phrase "You don't say so!" both indicate genuine surprise and astonishment at discovering that animals have their own complete language system.
CBQ Extract 2

The Plough Horse's Wisdom

"I would like a pair like yours," said the horse — "only green. They'll keep the Sun out of my eyes while I'm ploughing the field."
"Certainly," said the Doctor. "Green ones you shall have."
"You know, the trouble is, Sir," said the plough horse — "the trouble is that anybody thinks he can doctor animals — just because the animals don't complain. As a matter of fact, it takes a much cleverer man to be a really good animal doctor than it does to be a good people's doctor."
(i) Choose a word from the extract to complete the analogy: digging : flower bed :: ______ : field L3 Apply
Answer: ploughing. Just as digging is done in a flower bed, ploughing is the work done in a field. The horse mentions ploughing as the activity during which the spectacles would help.
(ii) Doctor Dolittle's attitude in the extract is: L4 Analyse
  • A. Respectful
  • B. Sentimental
  • C. Understanding
  • D. Careful
Answer: C. Understanding. The Doctor immediately agrees with the horse's request, says "Of course — of course," and promises to fulfil it. He listens and responds without hesitation, showing genuine understanding and empathy.
(iii) Why do doctors take animals for granted, according to the plough horse? L4 Analyse
Answer: According to the plough horse, doctors take animals for granted because animals do not complain or protest when they are mistreated or misdiagnosed. Unlike human patients who can describe their symptoms verbally and demand proper treatment, animals suffer in silence — which makes careless doctors complacent.
(iv) Do you agree that being a good animal doctor is harder than being a good people's doctor? Give reasons. L5 Evaluate
Model Answer: Yes, one can agree with the horse's observation. Human patients can speak, describe their pain, and point to where it hurts. Animal patients cannot communicate in human language, so a doctor must observe carefully, learn their body language, and sometimes even learn their language — as Doctor Dolittle did. This requires extraordinary patience, observation, and dedication. However, one might also argue that human medicine is complex in its own way. On balance, the horse raises a valid and thought-provoking point.

Let Us Think and Reflect — Answer the Following Questions

Q1. How can we say that Polynesia was a good trainer of animal language? L2

Polynesia was a patient and effective trainer. She began teaching systematically — starting with the "Birds' A.B.C." — and demonstrated her bilingual ability by showing the Doctor both human-speech phrases and their bird-language equivalents. She also taught him to read animal body language, explaining that animals communicate with ears, feet, tails, and even nose movements. Her guidance was thorough, practical, and interactive.

Q2. Explain how Doctor Dolittle gave equal and individual attention to each animal who came to him. L3

Doctor Dolittle installed separate entrances for each type of animal — horses used the front door, cows the side door, sheep the kitchen door, and even mice had their own tunnel leading to the cellar. Each animal group waited in orderly rows and received individual attention. The Doctor spoke directly with each patient in their own language, listened to their specific complaint, and provided the exact treatment needed — as shown with the plough horse receiving customised green spectacles.

Q3. How does Doctor Dolittle's readiness to follow Polynesia's advice highlight the importance of listening to different viewpoints? L4

Doctor Dolittle did not dismiss Polynesia's suggestion simply because it came from a parrot. He listened carefully, stayed open-minded, and acted immediately by fetching a book to record what she taught him. This shows that good ideas can come from unexpected sources — and that truly wise people listen without prejudice. His willingness to learn from a bird transformed him into the world's most celebrated animal doctor.

Q4. Which qualities of Doctor Dolittle made him famous among animals? Support with evidence from the text. L4

Doctor Dolittle's fame rested on several qualities: (1) Empathy — he genuinely cared about each animal's suffering, as shown by his immediate promise to get spectacles for the horse. (2) Dedication to learning — he spent an entire afternoon recording bird vocabulary. (3) Attention to individual needs — he provided separate entrances and individual treatment for each species. (4) Humility — he listened to a parrot and a horse, treating their wisdom with respect. These qualities spread by word of mouth among animals across the world.

Q5. What changes might happen in the world if people suddenly gained the ability to understand and communicate with animals? L6 Create

Sample Answer: If humans could communicate with animals, many significant changes would occur. Veterinary medicine would improve dramatically since animals could describe their symptoms. People might reconsider keeping animals in factories or zoos once they heard those animals' experiences firsthand. Environmental conservation could improve as animals describe the damage being done to their habitats. It might also challenge us morally — knowing that animals have thoughts, feelings, and languages might lead to stronger animal rights laws. The world would become more empathetic, but also more complex, as we would need to reconcile human needs with animal welfare.

Let Us Learn — Grammar Workshop

Compound Words

Rule: Compound words are formed by joining two or more words to create a word with a new meaning. They appear in three forms:
• Hyphenated: Cat's-food-Man, check-in, well-bred
• Open (two words): bird language, plough horse, sailor song, harvest mice
• Closed (one word): flowerpots, windowsill, teatime

Activity I — Sort the Compound Words

Sort these words from the story into the correct column: sailor song, teatime, check-in, plough horse, harvest mice, windowsill, well-bred

Hyphenated: check-in, well-bred
Open Compound Words: sailor song, plough horse, harvest mice
Closed Compound Words: teatime, windowsill

Activity II — Create Compound Words

Match words from Column A with Column B to form compound words, then fill in the paragraph below.

Pairs: fun + loving = fun-loving | high + tops = high-tops | never + ending = never-ending | early + risers = early risers | song + birds = songbirds | over + flying = overflying | tree + tops = treetops
After being treated by Doctor Dolittle, the A. fun-loving dolphins danced playfully. The B. never-ending chatter of monkeys echoed through the C. treetops. D. Early-rising eagles soared gracefully, E. overflying the sanctuary, their health restored. F. Songbirds among the G. high-tops chirped joyfully from the branches.

Activity III — Animals Hidden in Sentences

Find the hidden animal in each sentence:

  1. Dr. Dolittle was eating oatmeal for his breakfast. (farm animal → goat)
  2. Old ladies began to bring him their pets. (insect → ladybug — hidden as "ladies"... ASS in "lasses" — the hidden animal is ass/donkey)
  3. The author sees the connection between humans and animals. (farm animal → cow hidden in "discowver" — here: "the au-th-or sees" — ox in author is debatable; standard answer: ewe in "sewer")
  4. The three baby dinosaurs are from ice age. (field animal → hare in "thare" — "three" contains hare)
  5. The patients who came late didn't know where to go. (ship of the desert → camel hidden in "camelate")
1. goat (in "oatmeal" — "oat" starts the word) | 2. lad — ans: ass (in "lasses") | 3. ewe (in "sewer") | 4. hare (in "thare") | 5. camel (in "came late" → "camelate")

Activity IV — Palindromes

What is a Palindrome? A palindrome is a word, phrase, or sentence that reads identically whether you go from left to right or right to left. The word "never" from the story contains "eve" — a classic palindrome word. Other examples include "radar", "level", "civic", "Nitin", "Malayalam".

Identify which of the following are palindromes:

  1. Step on no pets.
  2. Naman saw a race car at the show.
  3. Nitin speaks in Malayalam.
  4. The engineer used a rotator to check the surface level.
  5. The pilot relied on the radar to navigate safely.
  6. Eva, can I see bees in a cave?
1. Palindrome sentence — "Step on no pets" reads the same backwards. | 2. Palindrome word: race car | 3. Palindrome words: Nitin, Malayalam | 4. Palindrome word: rotator, level | 5. Palindrome word: radar | 6. Palindrome sentence — "Eva, can I see bees in a cave?" reads the same backwards.

Activity V — Tense Forms

Present Continuous vs Simple Present:
• He is asking you a question. — Present Continuous (ongoing action right now)
• Oh, there are plenty of animal doctors. — Simple Present (general truth)
• I am going blind in one eye. — Present Continuous (action currently in progress)
• The trouble is that anybody thinks he can doctor animals. — Simple Present (general fact)

Activity VI — Present Perfect Tense

Structure: has/have + past participle (V3)
Use 1: A recently completed action — "It has stopped raining."
Use 2: An action relevant at the time of speaking — "That man's got (has got) sense."
Use 3: A past action whose focus is on the action, not the time.

Fill in the blanks using Present Perfect tense of the verbs in brackets:

Since becoming an animal doctor, Doctor Dolittle 1. has learnt to communicate with all animals and birds. He 2. has treated countless farm animals and pets with care. The parrot Polynesia 3. has taught him bird-language, and he 4. has written books about his adventures. Many people 5. have brought their sick animals to his door. Over the years, Dolittle 6. has become renowned worldwide for his unique abilities.

Let Us Write — Notice Writing

Task: Write a Notice for the Annual Health Check-up

What is a Notice?
A notice is a means of formal communication directed at a specific group of people. It informs them about an event, meeting, announcement, or instruction. Notices are written in formal language, in third person, and are usually displayed on a notice board.
Notice Format Guide:

[Name of School / Organisation]
NOTICE
[Date]

[Heading — in capital letters or bold]

[Body — state the purpose, date, time, venue, and instructions]

[Sign-off — Name and Designation of the writer]

Task: Write a notice (approximately 50 words) about the Annual Health Check-up for students of Grades 6–8. Use the words from the box: inform, queries, health card, health check-up, assembly hall, Grades 6–8, please contact, Thursday and Friday.

Let Us Explore

I. The Goshala Visit: The word goshala (from Sanskrit: go = cow + śālā = shed/hall) means a cowshed. Plan a visit to a goshala with your teacher and observe how cows are looked after. What do you notice about the way the caretakers communicate with the cows?

II. Ayurveda and Animal Care: Ayurveda, India's ancient medical system, included dedicated texts on animal care. Classical texts like the Charaka Samhita, Sushruta Samhita, and Harita Samhita contain references to treating animals. With your teacher's help, find out the names of modern organisations in India that work for animal welfare.

III. Helping Stray Animals: What is the best way to care for stray and abandoned animals? Consider these options:

  1. Provide food and water where you find them
  2. Take them to an animal shelter
  3. Adopt them by bringing them home
Each option has merit depending on the situation. Providing food is safe and helpful in the short term. Taking animals to a shelter ensures they receive medical care and may be adopted. Adopting them at home is a long-term commitment requiring space, resources, and family consent. The "best" option depends on the animal's condition and your circumstances. Discuss with your family and teacher before making a decision.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Animals, Birds, and Dr. Dolittle about in NCERT English?

Read Animals Birds and Dr Dolittle from NCERT Class 7 English Poorvi Unit 2 with vocabulary and exercises.

What vocabulary is important in Animals, Birds, and Dr. Dolittle?

Key vocabulary words from Animals, Birds, and Dr. Dolittle are highlighted in the lesson with contextual meanings, usage examples, and interesting facts. Click any highlighted word to see its full definition.

What literary devices are used in Animals, Birds, and Dr. Dolittle?

Animals, Birds, and Dr. Dolittle uses various literary devices including imagery, symbolism, and figurative language that are identified with coloured tags throughout the text for easy recognition.

What exercises are included for Animals, Birds, and Dr. Dolittle?

Exercises include extract-based comprehension questions in CBSE board exam format, grammar workshops connected to the text, vocabulary activities, and creative writing tasks.

How does Animals, Birds, and Dr. Dolittle connect to the unit theme?

Animals, Birds, and Dr. Dolittle is part of a thematic unit that explores related ideas through prose, poetry, and non-fiction. Each text in the unit reinforces the central theme from a different perspective.

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