English Class 10
First Flight - Poems (Literature)

Read the given extract and answer the questions

Extract:

He should be lurking in shadow, 

Sliding through long grass 

Near the water hole 

Where plump deer pass.

(A tiger in the zoo)

A Tiger in the Zoo- Extract Based Question - Teachoo.png

Question (i)

What does the poet imply about the tiger’s natural habitat?

Answer

Answer as written by the student: 

The poet implies that the tiger’s natural habitat includes shadowy areas with long grass

near a water hole where it can hunt for plump deer.

Step-by-Step explanation of the answer:

  •  The extract describes how the tiger should be lurking in shadow and sliding through long grass near a water hole where plump deer pass.
  •  This implies that these are elements of the tiger’s natural habitat where it can hunt for its prey.
  •  Hence, according to the poet, the tiger’s natural habitat includes shadowy areas with long grass near a water hole where it can hunt for plump deer. 🌿🐯

Question (ii)

What best describes the speaker’s attitude towards the tiger’s natural habitat?

  • a)Admiration and respect 
  • b) Indifference and apathy 
  • c) Dislike and disgust 
  • d) Fear and apprehension

Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

a) Admiration and respect

Step-by-Step explanation of the answer: 

  • The speaker’s attitude towards the tiger’s natural habitat is one of admiration and respect. 
  • The poet describes how the tiger should be lurking in shadow and sliding through long grass near a water hole where plump deer pass. 
  • This implies that these are elements of the tiger’s natural habitat where it can hunt for its prey. 
  • The poet’s use of descriptive and evocative language conveys a sense of admiration for the tiger’s natural habitat . Hence, the correct answer is a) Admiration and respect . 🐯🌿

Question (iii)

Fill-in-the-blank Question: 

The speaker’s alignment towards captivity is one of __________.

Answer:

Answer as written by the student: 

Opposition

Step-by-Step explanation of the answer:

  •  The speaker’s alignment towards captivity is one of opposition . In the poem “A Tiger in The Zoo”, 
  • Leslie Norris contrasts a tiger in the zoo to a tiger in its natural habitat. 
  • The poet describes how captivity affects the tiger by limiting its movements and changing its behavior from what it would have been if it were free in its natural habitat.
  •  This implies that the speaker is opposed to captivity and believes that animals should be free to live in their natural habitats. Hence, the correct answer is Opposition. 🐯🔒

Question (iv)

Comment on the poet’s use of language in these lines.

Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

Leslie Norris uses descriptive and evocative language in this extract from “A Tiger in the Zoo”. He creates vivid images of how a tiger would behave if it were free in its natural habitat. He describes how the tiger should be lurking in shadow and sliding through long grass near a water hole where plump deer pass.This helps readers visualize and understand what he is trying to convey. The poet also uses alliteration in “Sliding through long grass” which emphasizes how smoothly and stealthily a tiger moves.

Step-by-Step explanation of the answer:

  • In this extract from “A Tiger in the Zoo”, Leslie Norris effectively uses descriptive and evocative language to convey his message about the tiger’s natural habitat.
  • He creates vivid images of how a tiger would behave if it were free in its natural habitat by describing how it should be lurking in shadow and sliding through long grass near a water hole where plump deer pass.
  • This helps readers visualize and understand what he is trying to convey.
  • He also uses alliteration throughout this extract which creates a rhythmic effect and emphasizes certain words or phrases.
  • For example, he uses alliteration in “Sliding through long grass” which emphasizes how smoothly and stealthily a tiger moves.
  • Overall, Leslie Norris effectively uses descriptive and evocative language to convey his message about the tiger’s natural habitat in this extract from “A Tiger in the Zoo”. 🐯🌿
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CA Maninder Singh is a Chartered Accountant for the past 14 years and a teacher from the past 18 years. He teaches Science, Economics, Accounting and English at Teachoo