A Tiger in the Zoo by Leslie Norris

3. A Tiger in the Zoo by LESLIE NORRIS (for Class X)

Stanza 1

He stalks in his vivid stripes

The few steps of his cage,

On pads of velvet quiet,

In his quiet rage.

Line-to-line Explanation: The tiger in the zoo walks in the limited space provided to it in the cage. It takes a few steps. There are stripes on its body which are quite prominent (noticeable). Its paws are soft like velvet.  No noise is produced when it walks on its ‘pads of velvet’. The tiger is silent but in rage (anger).

Stanza 2.

He should be lurking in shadow,

Sliding through long grass

Near the water hole

Where plump deer pass.

Word-meanings: plump, lurking

Explanation: Now the poet suggests that the cage is not the proper place for the tiger. It is not its natural habitat. The tiger in the cage is a victim of human cruelty. Usually tigers are found sitting under some bushes or long grass near a stream or water hole. As soon as they see their prey like deer coming there to drink water, they slide silently through the grass and kill them. The poet wants to convey to us that this tiger should be there in the forest, its natural habitat.

 Poetic devices Used: The lines ‘lurking in shadow’, create a word picture of some danger hovering for the animals who come to drink water. Other word pictures are created by the use of words/ phrases like ‘sliding through’ and ‘plump deer’.

Stanza 3.

He should be snarling around houses

At the jungle’s edge,

Baring his white fangs, his claws,

Terrorising the village!

Explanation: In this stanza: The poet proceeds further giving another suggestion that the tiger should be sitting at the jungle’s edge in close vicinity of a village. It should be terrorising the people passing that way by showing its sharp teeth, baring its claws and producing low sound of anger.

Stanza 4.

But he’s locked in a concrete cell,

His strength behind bars,

Stalking the length of his cage,

Ignoring visitors.

Explanation: In this stanza, the poet expresses deep sympathy at the plight (unpleasant situation) of the tiger, that is imprisoned in a cell made of concrete (mixed material like cement, sand, small pieces of stone and water). He cannot come out of it because strong bars fixed at the concrete cell stop him. Thus the poet says that the tiger’s strength is locked behind the bars. The tiger shows no interest in looking at the visitors. Rather, he keeps on stalking (walking in angry and proud manner) in the limited space of the cage.

Stanza 5.

He hears the last voice at night, /The patrolling cars,

And stares with his brilliant eyes /At the brilliant stars.

Word-meanings: Patrolling: moving about to check any danger Brilliant: shining

Explanation: The poet again takes the reader to the cage where the tiger is sitting in the cage and feeling unpleasant and restless. He hears the sound created by the patrolling cars of the zoo authorities. He shows no interest in them. The poet shown him staring at the shining stars with his brilliant eyes.

Thus the poem ends up at the point where it had started.

The poet raises a moral issue here. He intends to present a strong case against the cruelty on animals, which are kept in cages.

 4. A Tiger in the Zoo by Leslie Norris

Questions & Answers

Q1. How does the tiger walk about in the cage? What are his emotions?

Ans. The tiger in the cage walks in a proud manner. He is in anger because he is shut in a small cell. He is helpless and cannot come out.

Q2. Where should the tiger be?

Ans. The tiger should be in the jungle. He should be moving slowly in the log grass near a water hole to kill his prey.

Q3. How is the tiger in the cell? How does he react to the visitors?

Ans. The tiger is not comfortable in the cell. It is not his natural habitat. He is in anger also. He walks inside the cell feeling uneasy and angry. He does not pay any attention to the visitor. He has no interest in them.

Q4. Where is the strength of the tiger and how does he treat the visitors?

Ans. The strength of the tiger is behind the bars. He is imprisoned in a cell. He takes no interest in the visitors.

Q5. How does the tiger feel in the cage?

Ans. The tiger is not comfortable in the cell. It is not his natural habitat. He is in anger also. He walks inside the cell feeling uneasy and angry.

Q6. What message does the poem ‘A Tiger in the Zoo’ give? Or what is the central idea/theme of the poem?

Ans. The poem gives a message that we should not keep birds and animals in cages. We should not imprison them. They should live in their natural habitats.

Q7. How does the tiger terrify the villagers?

Ans. If the tiger is in his natural habitat, he growls at the villagers who pass by that way. He also shows his fangs and bright claws to the villagers to terrify them.

Q8. How does the poet contrast the tiger in the zoo with the tiger in the jungle?

Ans. The tiger in the zoo is not free. He feels uncomfortable in the limited space of the cell. The tiger in the zoo is happy. He is free to move anywhere.

Q9. How does the tiger behave at night?

Ans. The patrolling cars create noise. The tiger in the cage just stares at the shining stars.

Q10. What should the tiger be doing if he were in the jungle?

Ans. He should be sitting near a water hole under long grass and waiting for some deer to come. He would jump to kill the deer to make his food.

Q11. What should the tiger be doing if he were at the edge of the jungle?

Ans. He should be terrorising the villagers by roaring and showing his fangs.

Q12. Why does the tiger ignore the visitors?

Ans. The tiger is not happy. He is imprisoned in the cage.  He feels uneasy, angry and uncomfortable in the café, he needs freedom. So he has no interest in the visitors.

Very Short Qs

Learn the following statements:

1.  The tiger is in cage/concrete cell.

2.  The tiger stalks inside the cage.

3.  The tiger should be snarling at the edge of the jungle near a village.

4.  ‘Pads of velvet’ means soft soles.

5.  The tiger’s strength is behind the bars.

6.  ‘Behind the bars means in the cage.

7.  The tiger ignores the visitors.

8.   The tiger stares sadly at the brilliant stars.

Important Stanzas

Stanza 1. 

He stalks in his vivid stripes/The few steps of his cage,

On pads of velvet quiet, /In his quiet rage.

Q1. Who is ‘He’ in the above lines?

 Ans. 1. The tiger  

Q2.How does ‘He’ walk in the cage?

Ans.2. In proud manner  

Q3. In what mood is ‘He’?

 Ans.3. Anger

Q4. Which words in the stanza show the following meanings? 

(i) Anger (ii) visible/distinct

     Ans.4. (i) rage (ii) vivid

Stanza: 2. He should be lurking in shadow,/Sliding through long grass /Near the water hole/Where plump deer pass.

Q1. Name the poem and its poet.

Ans. The Poem is ‘A Tiger in the Zoo’ and its poet is Leslie Norris.

Q2. Where should the tiger be now?

Ans. in the jungle.

Q3. For what should he be lurking?

Ans.  For its prey/food.

Q4. Where do the deer usually pass?

Ans Near the water hole.

Q5. Give the synonyms for the words: (i) plump (ii) lurk

Ans. (i) Fleshy/fat (ii) wait/ prowl

Stanza 3.

He should be snarling around houses/At the jungle’s edge, /Baring his white fangs, his claws,

Terrorising the village!

Q1.Where should ‘he’ be snarling/growling around?

Ans. Around houses

Q2. What should ‘he’ be doing at the jungle’s edge?

Ans. Showing his sharp teeth and claws

Q3. How does he terrorise the villagers?

Ans. By growling and showing his sharp teeth and paws.

Q4. What words in the stanza above mean the following words?   (i) Sharp teeth (ii) growling

Ans.  (i) fangs (ii) snarling

Stanza 5

He hears the last voice at night, /The patrolling cars,

And stares with his brilliant eyes /At the brilliant stars.

Q1. What is the last voice here in the stanza?

Ans. It is the sound created by the patrolling cars.

Q2. How does he stare at the stars?

Ans. He stares at the stars with his brilliant eyes.

Q3 Why have his eyes called brilliant?

Ans. Animals eyes shine in darkness.

Q4. Give the meaning of ‘stare’.

Ans. to watch continuously.

Questions & Answers for Class XII, Book: Vistas Lesson: The Tiger King by Kalki

Questions & Answers for Class XII, Book: Vistas

Lesson: The Tiger King by Kalki

(A) Short Answer-type Questions & Answers

1.Why did the Maharaja of Pratibandapuram decide to kill tigers or  What led the king to start hunting and killing of one hundred tigers?

Ans. The Maharaja of Pratibandapuram decided to kill tigers to save his life. The king would be safe if he killed one hundred tigers.  It was the prophecy made by the state astrologer.

2.How did the king acquire the title ‘tiger’ to his name?

Ans. The king had to kill one hundred tigers to avert (avoid) the danger to his life. Sometimes he had to fight with tigers without any weapon. But he was unable to kill the hundredth tiger. Since he killed so many tigers, he was called the ‘tiger’ king.

( Second Ans.: The title ‘Tiger King’ did not come all of a sudden to his name. There is a story behind it. He was a man of indomitable (great) courage. He killed ninety- nine tigers. He was not afraid of tigers. Sometimes he fought with them bare handed. So people called him the tiger king.

3. How did the king stand in danger of losing his kingdom?

Ans. Once, the king stood in danger of losing his kingdom. He refused a British officer to kill a tiger from his state forest. He also refused to accept the officer’s second proposal. It was just to have a photograph with a dead tiger.

4. What did the king do to save his kingdom or What did he do to avert the danger of losing his kingdom?

                                           Or

Even though the Maharaja lost Rs. 3 lac, he was still happy. Why?

Ans. The king sent fifty valuable diamond rings to the British officer’s wife. He hoped that she would keep one ring with her. She kept them all with her. It proved very costly to the king. But he was happy because his kingdom was saved.

5.Why did the Tiger King not allow the British Officer to hunt and kill tiger in his forests?

Ans.The king did not allow the British officer to kill a tiger because he did not want to open the way for other British officers to reach his forests and kill the tigers. He wanted to kill them himself to falsify the astrologer’s prediction.

 6.What was the Dewan’s tiger like? How did he take it into the forest? (2008)

Ans. The Dewan’s tiger was very old . At midnight, the Dewan and his wife dragged the tiger and pushed it inside to their car. The Dewan drove the car where the king was camping for his hunt in the jungle.

7.Why did the Dewan bring a tiger from the People’s Park in Madras? (2008) Why did he secretly manage to make it slip in the jungle near the King’s camp?

Ans. The Dewan brought a tiger from the People’s Park, Madras, to save his job. He secretly managed to make the tiger slip into the forest near the king’s camp. He did it so that the king could easily kill it.

8. What happened to the tiger provided by the Dewan?  (2009)

Ans. The king had missed his shot at that that tiger. So it did not die. It had become unconscious and fallen to one side when it heard the shot. But, at last, it was killed by one of the king’s men.

 9. What did the hunters do with the hundredth tiger after the Maharaja had left?

Ans. The king’s hunters were confused as to what they should do with the hundredth tiger as it was alive. The king had thought that it was killed by him. Then one of them fired a shot at the tiger from close distance and killed it.

10. How did the Tiger King celebrate his victory over the killing of the hundredth tiger?

 Ans. The king’s joy knew no bounds (extremely happy) when he killed the hundredth tiger.Then, as commanded by the king, the dead tiger was taken in procession through the town and buried. A tomb was erected (built) over it.

 (B)  Long Answer-type Questions & Answers

1. How did the Maharaja come in the danger of losing his throne and how did he avert this danger?    2010

Ans. Once, the king stood in danger of losing his kingdom. He refused a British officer to kill a tiger from his state forest. He also refused to accept the officer’s second proposal. It was just to have a photograph with a dead tiger. The king did not allow the British officer to kill a tiger because he did not want to open the way for other British officers to reach his forests and kill the tigers. He wanted to kill them himself to falsify the astrologer’s prediction. The king sent fifty valuable diamond rings to the British officer’s wife. He hoped that she would keep one ring with her. She kept them all with her. It proved very costly to the king. But he was happy because his kingdom was saved.

 2. How did the hundredth tiger take its revenge upon the Tiger King? What is ironical about his fate?       2009

                                               Or

 How did the Tiger King meet his end? What is ironical about his fate?

Ans.

It was crown prince’s third birhtday. The king brought a wooden tiger toy for him. It was a special gift for the crown prince. On that day the king and his son played with the wooden tiger for a long time. The toy was not smoothly carved. Its surface was rough and some tiny slivers stood up like quills all over it. So, while playing with It, one of the slivers pierced Maharaja’s hand. He pulled it out with the help of his left hand. But slowly infection spread all over his arm. At last there was no way out but operation. It was performed by three famous surgeons. But the Maharaja died after the operation. The irony was that the Maharaj was called the Tiger King and he was not afraid of the living tigers. They could not harm his life at all. But a wooden tiger became the cause of his death. Nature also takes its revenge.

3. How did the the astrologer’s prediction about the death of the Tiger King came to be true. Do you agree with this statement? Explain why or why not?    2008

Ans. It was crown prince’s third birhtday. The king brought a wooden tiger toy for him. It was a special gift for the crown prince. On that day the king and his son played with the wooden tiger for a long time.

Although the prediction of the astrologer came to be true, yet we do not agree with that. It was by chance that the king’s hand got infected. In those days life saving medicines and modern operation techniques were not available. So the king died in the absence of medical facilities. But slowly infection spread all over his arm. At last there was no way out but operation. It was performed by three famous surgeons. But the Maharaja died after the operation.

4. Describe the efforts made by the Tiger King to achieve his target of killing a hundred tigers?  2009

Ans. The Tiger King made every effort to achieve the target of killing hundred tigers. He was able to achieve the target of only seventy tigers from his own forest. Then he married the daughter of a king whose forest had several tigers. Thus he got the freedom to hunt tigers in his father-in-law’s state. In every visit he killed five to six tigers. He could make the number of ninety-nine only. He made every effort to find out the hundredth tiger. He was worried and anxious to kill the last one. Many officers lost their jobs as they failed to trace the 100^th tiger. Finally he threatened the Dewan of losing his job if he could not find out the last tiger. Anyhow, the Dewan arranged an old tiger from the People’s Park in Madras. In reality that tiger was not killed by the king.

Book: First Flight: Lesson 2. Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela

Book: First Flight: Lesson 2. Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela             

A.  Very Short Answer-type Questions (In Single Sentences)

1.  Mandela became the first black President of a new nation.

2.  Zenani was the daughter of Nelson Mandela.

3. 100,000 South African men, women and children of all races sang and danced with joy.

4.   The inauguration ceremony took place on 10^th May, 1994.

5. Thabo Mbeki was sworn in as first deputy president.

6. The formation of a democratic government in South Africa has been called a common victory for justice, peace and human dignity.

7. Nelson Mandela takes the pledge to remove bondage of poverty, hunger and all kinds of discrimination.

8.   The smoke that trailed in the sky by Impala jets symbolised the new South African flag.

9. The old system in South Africa was based on hatred.

10.       The policy of apartheid created a deep and lasting wound in South Africa to its people.

11.       The people of South Africa are its greatest wealth.

12.        Obligation to his family, his people and the country are the twin obligations for Mandela.

13.        The twin obligations are filled only in civil and humane society.

14.        Hatred towards each other robs the humanity.

15.       Inauguration ceremony took place in Pretoria in South Africa.

16.       Mandela talks about the inauguration of the formation of new government in South Africa in this lesson

17.       Nelson Mandela feels hungry for the freedom of his countrymen.

Q1.Where did the ceremonies take place? Can you name any public buildings in India that are made of sandstone?

Ans. The ceremonies took place in the campus of the Union Building of Pretoria. The Parliament House in New Delhi, the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi, the Supreme Court of India in New Delhi and Madras High Court in Chennai are some examples of Indian public buildings that are made of sandstone.

Q2.Can you say how 10 May is an ‘autumn day’ in South Africa?

Ans: The tenth May is an ‘Autumn Day’ in South Africa. It is because there was a large gathering of the guests from across the world on that day there. They had come to attend the function of the installation of South Africa’s first democratic and non-racial government.

Q3. At the beginning of his speech, Mandela mentions “an extraordinary human disaster”. What does he mean by this? What is the “glorious … human achievement” he speaks of at the end?

Ans. The coloured people in South Africa had to suffer discrimination and other types of torture by the white rulers for about three centuries. That was ‘an extraordinary human disaster’. Mandela talks of ‘glorious human achievement’ because a black person became the president of the country where the whites did all types of cruelties for about three hundred years.

Q4. What does Mandela thank the international leaders for?

Ans. Nelson Mandela thanks the international leaders because they came to South Africa to attend the function of forming the first non racial and democratic government there.

Mandela felt privileged to be the host to the nations of the world because not too long ago, the South Africans were considered outlaws. He thus thanked all the international leaders for having come to witness his investiture as President since this event could be considered as a common victory for justice, peace and human dignity.

Q5. What ideals does he set out for the future of South Africa?

Answer 

Mandela set out the ideals of poverty alleviation, removal of suffering of people. He also set the ideal for a society where there would be no discrimination based on gender or racial origins.

Q6. What do the military generals do? How has their attitude changed, and why?

Answer 

The highest military generals of the South African defence force and police saluted Mandela and pledged their loyalty.
Their attitude towards blacks had taken great change. Instead of arresting a black they saluted him.

Q7. Why were two national anthems sung?

Ans. The two national anthems were sung when Nelson Mandela’s government was formed. It was done to create balance between two races, the white and the black. It showed the new government’s vision of equality also.

Q8. What does courage mean to Mandela?

Ans. Mandela thinks that courage is not the absence of fear in mind. It is the victory over it. Fear is present in every person. But the brave person is that who conquers fear.

Q9. Mandela talks of twin obligations. What are these?

Ans. According to Mandela, every person has twin obligations in life. One is towards his family, to wife and children. The other is towards his people and the country.

Q10.  In this lesson, Mandela talks of the oppressor. Is the oppressor free in any sense or is he also a slave of something?

Ans. Madela says that the oppressor is a slave of hatred. He is imprisoned behind the bars of prejudices and narrow-mindedness. He has made the other person slave.

Q11. What does Mandela mean when he says that he is “the sum of all those African patriots”, who had made struggle for freedom in South Africa before him?

Ans. By saying so, he pays a glowing tribute to the patriots of South Africa who had struggled for freedom so far. He succeeded in his great mission of getting freedom to South Africa. So he finds their blessings in himself.

Long Answer-type Qs (About 100 words)

Q1. What twin obligations does Mandela talk about in this lesson?

Ans. Nelson Mandela says that everyone has twin obligations. One obligation is towards one’s family, children and parents. Another obligation is towards his people and the country. People fulfil these obligations towards their families and the country in their own ways. But in South Africa, it was not possible to do so. The white-skinned people had put several restrictions on the black coloured people under the policy of apartheid. The person doing his duty for his people was punished and sent behind the bars. Mandela was also sent to prison for fulfilling his obligation towards his people. Thus he was not allowed to fulfil his twin obligations.

Q2. How did the meaning of the word ‘freedom’ change with the passage of time for Mandela?

Ans. Mandela said that freedom had different meanings for him according to the stages in his age. In the days of his boyhood, it was just running into his fields near his mother’s hut and to swim in the clear water of a stream. He was free to do the small things that a child could do. A he grew in age, that freedom turned into an illusion for him. He began to understand that his freedom was already snatched. As a student, he desired for freedom only just for himself. It was the freedom to stay out at night, read what he pleased and go where he chose. Later as a young man, he yearned for the real kind of freedom. It was the freedom to fulfil his twin obligations. But it was not there.

Q3. What does Mandela say about the policy of apartheid? How did it affect peoples of South Africa?

Ans. The white-skinned peoples of South Africa patched up their differences and erected (set up) a system of racial domination (जातीय शाशन) against the dark-skinned peoples of their own land. The policy of apartheid /əˈpɑː.taɪt/ created a deep and lasting wound in my country and my people. The people of South Africa would take a long time to recover from the deep would created by the policy of apatheid. But the continuous oppression and cruelty on the South Africans produced great men like the Oliver  Tambos, the Walter Sisulus, the Chief Luthulis, etc. They were the men of such extraordinary courage, wisdom and generosity (kindness) that their like may never be known again.