CBSE Class 7 English Chapter 6: I Want Something in a Cage NCERT Solutions

Here are the answers to the True/False statements based on the story:

1. True. The story implies Mr. Purcell dealt with a variety of animals.
2. False. The story suggests he was more focused on business than the animals' welfare, as indicated by the depressing atmosphere and their noises.
3. False. The text does not indicate he was impressed; his reaction is more about the transaction.
4. False. While he might have been successful, the story portrays him as insensitive and cold, not necessarily impressed by customers in a positive way.

Mr. Purcell is compared to an owl because he wore large glasses that magnified his eyes. This gave him a physical appearance that resembled a wise and somewhat detached owl, suggesting a personality that was observant but perhaps not deeply emotional.

Based on the third paragraph of the story:

1. Words associated with cries of birds include 'whispered twitters', 'cheeps', and 'squeaks'.
2. Words associated with general noise are 'Rustling', 'squeals', and 'squeaks'.
3. Words suggestive of confusion and fear are 'frantic', 'frightened', 'bewildered', and 'blindly seeking'.

In the sentence "...Mr Purcell heard it no more than he would have heard the monotonous ticking of a familiar clock," the word 'it' refers to the constant sounds made by the birds and animals in Mr. Purcell's shop, such as chirping, squeaking, and mewing.

Mr. Purcell does not hear 'it' (the sounds of the animals) clearly because he has become so accustomed to them over time. The sounds are like the monotonous ticking of a familiar clock – a background noise that he no longer consciously registers or pays attention to, as it is part of his daily routine.

The atmosphere of Mr. Purcell's shop was likely depressing. The story mentions a 'constant stir of movement' and a lot of noise from the animals and birds. This suggests a lack of peace and contentment, implying the creatures were unhappy in their confined environment, contributing to a somber mood rather than a cheerful one.

The stranger was a peculiar man. He wore shiny shoes and a suit that was cheap and ill-fitted, though it appeared new. He had a restless, 'shuttling' glance and closely cropped hair. He wanted to buy something small that had wings and could be kept in a cage.

No, it is unlikely that the man insisted on buying the doves solely because he was fond of birds. His initial request was for 'anything with wings in a cage,' not specifically doves. This suggests his interest was in the concept of a caged creature he could liberate, rather than a particular fondness for doves themselves. His actions point more towards empathy for confinement than simple affection for birds.

The stranger had earned the five dollars by performing hard labor during his ten years of imprisonment in jail. This indicates he had spent a significant part of his life incarcerated and had recently been released or was working towards his freedom.

No, the customer was not interested in the care and feeding of the doves. His primary intention was to set them free. He wanted them to experience the joy of flight and liberty, which he understood deeply due to his own past experience of being imprisoned.

In my opinion, the man set the doves free because he had personally experienced the pain and longing for freedom during his ten years of imprisonment. He likely felt a strong sense of empathy for the birds confined in cages, recognizing their desire for liberty. By releasing them, he was giving them the freedom he himself had craved and understood the value of, allowing them to experience happiness and flight.