A. Answer the following questions:

  1. On what type of days does the speaker see the other boy?
    → The speaker sees the other boy on rainy days when he goes out to play.
  2. How does the other boy stand?
    → The other boy always stands upside down, unlike the speaker who stands upright.
  3. What is a ‘sorry sight’?
    → It is a sorry sight when the speaker steps on the other boy's feet while walking.
  4. How do the speaker and the other boy walk together?
    → They walk together by stepping in the same puddles while going through the town.
  5. Why does the speaker think the other boy is kind?
    → The speaker thinks he is kind because whenever he looks and smiles at the boy, the boy smiles back.
  6. Why does the other boy never speak?
    → The other boy never speaks because he is just the speaker's reflection in the puddle.

B. Reference to the context

1. "And we step in all the puddles when walking through the town"

(a) Who are ‘we’?
→ ‘We’ refers to the speaker and the other boy, who is actually his reflection.

(b) Why are there puddles in the street?
→ There are puddles in the street because it has been raining.

(c) Why does the other boy step in the same puddles as the speaker?
→ The other boy steps in the same puddles because he is the speaker's reflection and copies every movement.

2. "For when I look and smile at him, he does the same, I find."

(a) Why does the speaker smile at the other boy?
→ The speaker smiles at the boy because he feels happy and wants to be friendly.

(b) How does the other boy respond?
→ The other boy also smiles back at the speaker, copying him exactly.

(c) What does the speaker conclude about his playmate from this?
→ The speaker feels that the boy is kind and friendly but from a different world, as he never speaks.

C. Based on understanding of the poem:

  1. Explain the title of the poem. Who is the playmate?
    → The title "The Playmate" refers to a friend who plays with the speaker. The playmate in the poem is actually the speaker’s reflection seen in puddles on a rainy day.
  2. What hints do you have in the poem to guess the identity of the other boy?
    → Hints include the boy always being upside down, stepping in the same puddles, and never speaking. These suggest he is a reflection.
  3. In what other places would you see a reflection?
    → We can see reflections in mirrors, still water, shiny metal, polished floors, or glass surfaces.

🔤 Words and Sounds

1. Underline ‘uh’ sound & circle ‘yoo’ sound:

  • Underline ('uh' sound):
    umbrella, uncle, upside, uncover, untidy
  • Circle ('yoo' sound):
    unity, unicorn, usual, university, Uranus

2. Two examples of each:

  • ‘uh’ sound: under, upset
  • ‘yoo’ sound: unique, uniform

🧩 Word Building

1. Meanings of hyphenated words:

  • take-off – when a plane leaves the ground
  • well-known – someone who is famous
  • old-fashioned – not modern or outdated
  • right-handed – using the right hand mostly
  • co-owner – two people who own something together
  • self-service – service where you help yourself

2. Use in sentences:

  • The flight’s take-off was delayed.
  • She is a well-known singer.
  • That dress looks very old-fashioned.
  • He is right-handed and writes neatly.

✍️ Creative Corner (Short Paragraph):

If my reflection came out of the mirror and spent a few hours with me, we would play games like tag and hide-and-seek. We would also eat snacks together and laugh a lot. It would be fun to see someone doing exactly what I do at the same time.