Read the poem given below and answer the question by choosing the correct option:
"I cannot go to school today,"
Said little Peggy Ann McKay.
"I have the measles and the mumps,
A gash, a rash and purple bumps.
My mouth is wet, my throat is dry,
I'm going blind in my right eye.
My tonsils are as big as rocks,
I've counted sixteen chicken pox
And there's one more-that's seventeen,
And don't you think my face looks green?
My leg is cut-my eyes are blue-
It might be instamatic flu.
I cough and sneeze and gasp and choke,
I'm sure that my left leg is broke-
My hip hurts when I move my chin,
My belly button's caving in,
My back is wrenched, my ankle's sprained,
My 'pendix pains each time it rains.
My nose is cold, my toes are numb.
I have a sliver in my thumb.
My neck is stiff, my voice is weak,
I hardly whisper when I speak.
My tongue is filling up my mouth,
I think my hair is falling out.
My elbow's bent, my spine ain't straight,
My temperature is one-eight.
My brain is shrunk, I cannot hear,
There is a hole inside my ear.
I have a hangnail, and my heart is-what?
What's that? What's that you say?
You say today is... Saturday?
G'bye, I'm going out to play!"
The predominant tone of the poem is _________.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → humorous
Humorous means funny, causing amusement. The absurd list of illnesses, the comic exaggerations and the twist at the end, when Peggy hears it is Saturday and runs out to play, make the poem light and amusing.
Example: He told a humorous story that made the whole class laugh.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: satirical — Incorrect. Satirical means using humour to mock and criticise people, customs or society. The poem laughs gently at a child's excuse; it does not attack anyone or any custom.
Example: The magazine published a satirical cartoon of the minister.
Option 3: melancholic — Incorrect. Melancholic means sad and gloomy; the poem ends with Peggy happily going out to play.
Example: The old song put him in a melancholic mood.
Option 4: serious — Incorrect. The illnesses are not meant to be believed; the tone is playful, not serious.
Example: The doctor had a serious talk with the patient's family.