I Tried to Do My Homework by Kenn Nesbitt (Cambridge Connection English)
The Poem :
"I tried to do my homework
but a show was on TV.
A song was on the radio.
A friend was texting me.
My email chimed, and so, of course.
I had to look at that.
It linked me to a video
of someone's silly cat.
I watched a dozen videos,
and then I played a game.
I almost didn't hear her
when my mother called my name.
I looked up at the clock
and it was time to go to bed.
I didn't get my homework done;
Just other stuff in stead.
I hope my teacher listens
to the cause of my inaction.
It's not my fault the world
is just one big distraction."
Summary of the Poem :
In the poem, a little kid is telling about all the distractions it faces while it supposed to do its homework. It is a kid of this modern age, surrounded by all the scientific gadgets.
At the beginning, the kid is about to do homework and distracted by a TV show and a song on the radio. Then the kid gets attracted to the chime of the email and checks it. It is a video link of someone's silly cat. The kid watches it and continues watching a dozen videos and ends up playing a game. The mother of the kid is calling, but it does not hear it as it is so engaged in the videos and the game.
The kid looks at the clock and it is time to go to bed. The homework is not done due to other things he is engaged with. The kid is scared of tomorrow at school. It hopes that the teacher would listen to the cause of not doing homework. It is not its fault as the world it lives is full of distraction.
Comprehension
A. Answer the questions.
1. Who is the speaker in the poem?
= The speaker in the poem is a kid, most probably a little boy.
2. How old do you think the speaker is?
= I think the speaker is around ten years old.
3. What task did the speaker have from school?
= The speaker had homework from school.
4. Did the speaker complete the task?
= No, the speaker did not complete the task.
B. Fill in the blanks.
The speaker did not complete homework because he had many distractions. He spent the time watching TV, listening to song on radio, checking email, watching videos and playing game. Finally, when his mother called him he realised it was time to go to bed. He thinks his teacher ought to understand that it was not his fault, rather his world was full of distractions.
C. Read the lines and answer the questions.
1. "My email chimed, and so, of course
I had to look at that."
a. What is meant by email chimed?
= It meant that the speaker got an email. The chime was the notification sound of the email.
b. Why does the speaker say that he had to look at that?
= The speaker had to look at that to check the email.
c. Do you think he could have checked it later?
= Yes, I think he could have checked it later. As he is a little child, so he would never have an urgent email. So he could definitely checked it later.
2. "It linked me to a video
of someone's silly cat."
a. What is it?
= It is the email the kid has got.
b. Do you think the speaker liked the video? How do you know?
= Yes, I think the speaker liked the video.
He liked the video and that is why continued watching a dozen more videos.
3. "I watched a dozen videos,
and then I played a game."
a. With whom did the speaker play a game?
= The speaker played a game in the computer.
b. Is it possible to play a game without friends?
= Yes, it is possible to play a game without friends if it is played in the computer or in a mobile phone.
c. Would you like to play games on your own or with friends? Why?
= I would like to play games, either outdoor games or indoor games or video games, with my friends only. As it is more fun to play games with friends.
D. Think and answer.
1. Do you think the teacher will understand and excuse the speaker for not doing homework?
= I think the teacher will definitely understand the mischief the kid has done and scold him for his deeds. It is clear that the kid is careless about his studies and have all his attention towards the stupid things around him.
2. If the teacher scolds the speaker, do you think she is right? Give reasons for your answer.
= If the teacher scolds the speaker, I think she is right. As the kid is very inattentive to his studies. He is engaged in many a thing and wastes his time except doing his homework. He should have the minimum knowledge that he should do all the other things only after doing his homework complete.
3. Do you have similar distractions? If so, then share your experience.
If not, state the reasons.
= Yes, I have similar distractions. In my home, when I sit to do my homework, all the other things attract me. My grandparents watches TV, my elder sister sings, my elder brother plays video games in his laptop, around me. Then only I think of the teacher taking my homework on the next day. I move on to a quiet place far away from all this and do my homework.
About the Poet :
Kenn Nesbitt (born 20 February 1962) is an American poet. He is a writer of humorous poetry for children. His Poems often include outrageous happenings, before ending on a realistic note. Many of his poems make fun of school life. Children all over the world love his poems because he seems to be expressing their thoughts.