Question

There was an old lady, all dressed in silk,

Who lived upon lemons and buttermilk.

And thinking the world was a sour old place,

She carried its acid all over her face.

Another old lady, all dressed in patches,

Lived upon nothing but safety matches.

So the world it made her strangle and cough,

And sure as you rubbed her, you set her off

Another old lady, all sunny and neat,

Who lived upon sugar and everything sweet,

Exclaimed, when she heard of their troubles, “I never!

For the world is so nice. I could live on for ever!”

Now, children, take your choice

of the foods your heart shall eat;

They are sour thoughts and nasty thoughts

And thoughts all good and sweet.

And whatever the heart feeds on,

Dear children, trust me,

Is precisely, what this queer, old world

Will seem to be.


Mary Mapes Dodge (adapted)

Q2. What comparison has been drawn between the lemons, buttermilk and acid in the first

stanza?​

Answer 1

Explanation:

In the given stanza, the food items such as lemon and buttermilk and the acid are used as an analogy to human behaviour towards others and towards the problems they face in life. These things resemble a person with bitter thoughts, who is never optimistic due to the acidic food he is taking with him. When a person will engage in good things around him, stay positive then he can do better for himself and others

Answer 2

Answer:

What comparison has been drawn between the lemons, buttermilk and acid in the first stanza?

• According to the given passage the comparison : 'The world was a sour old place' has been drawn between the lemons, buttermilk and acid.
• Although it is an analogy which has been expressed by the food items such as lemons, buttermilk and acid to human behavior towards the problem they face in life.
• That is why it is mentioned in the passage: She carried its acid all over her face.
• We should think positive and do better for ourselves.