Strange Talk Class 2 NCERT Poem Guide

What the Poem Teaches

The poem Strange Talk is about listening carefully to the world around us. When we meet people, we expect words like good morning or how do you do. But animals do not use human words. A frog has its own sound, and a duck has its own sound. To a child, this can feel strange and funny, so the poem turns animal sounds into a playful lesson. The main idea is not that the animals are wrong. The poem helps us understand that every living creature communicates in its own way. For Class 2, focus on two things: the animal and its sound, and the feeling of surprise in the poem.

Important Words and Meanings

Strange

Something that feels unusual, new, or different from what we expect.

Talk

To speak or communicate. In the poem, animals talk through their own sounds.

Croak

The rough sound made by a frog.

Quack

The sound made by a duck.

Log

A thick piece of a tree trunk, often lying on the ground.

Waterside

The place near a pond, lake, river, or other water body.

How to Read Strange Talk with Understanding

1. Read the title first — Ask yourself why the talk is called strange. This prepares you to look for unusual sounds, not long speeches.
2. Find the animals — As you read, point to each animal named in the poem. In your notebook, write the animal on the left side.
3. Listen for the sound words — Words such as croak and quack are sound words. Write the matching sound on the right side of the animal.
4. Say the poem aloud — Read with expression. Make the animal sounds softly and clearly, because the poem is meant to be heard as well as read.
5. Explain the idea in your own words — A good Class 2 answer can say that animals speak differently from humans, so their talk seems strange to us.

Worked Examples

• Example 1: Match the animal with its sound: Frog, Duck; Sounds: Quack, Croak. Step 1: Think about the sound a frog makes. A frog says croak. Step 2: Think about the sound a duck makes. A duck says quack. Step 3: Write the pairs neatly. Final answer: Frog - Croak; Duck - Quack.
• Example 2: Answer in one sentence: Why is the poem called Strange Talk? Step 1: The poem shows animals making sounds that are not human words. Step 2: These sounds may seem unusual to a child. Step 3: Make a full sentence using the idea. Final answer: The poem is called Strange Talk because animals speak in their own sounds, which seem strange to us.
• Example 3: Use the word croak in a sentence. Step 1: Remember that croak is the sound of a frog. Step 2: Put the frog and the sound in one simple sentence. Step 3: Check that the sentence begins with a capital letter and ends with a full stop. Final answer: The frog can croak near the pond.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Do not write that animals speak wrong words. The poem shows that animals have their own natural sounds.
• Do not mix up croak and quack. Frog goes with croak, and duck goes with quack.
• In short answers, write a complete sentence, not only one word, unless the question asks for a word.
• When reading aloud, pause at the end of a line and say sound words clearly. This makes the poem easier to understand.
• Spell sound words carefully: croak has oa, and quack has qua.

Practice Questions with Solutions

• Q: Which animal says croak in the poem? A: Step 1: Look for the sound word croak. Step 2: A frog makes the sound croak. Step 3: Write the answer in a full sentence. Final answer: The frog says croak in the poem.
• Q: What sound does a duck make? A: Step 1: Think of the animal named in the question, duck. Step 2: The poem connects a duck with the sound quack. Step 3: Use the word quack in your answer. Final answer: A duck makes the sound quack.
• Q: What does strange mean in the poem? A: Step 1: Strange means unusual or different. Step 2: In the poem, animal sounds are different from human words. Step 3: Explain the meaning simply. Final answer: Strange means unusual or different from what we expect.
• Q: Why do animals seem to have strange talk? A: Step 1: People use words to speak to one another. Step 2: Animals use sounds like croak and quack. Step 3: These sounds seem strange to us because they are not human words. Final answer: Animals seem to have strange talk because they speak through their own sounds.

Frequently Asked Questions