CBSE CLASS X --- REVISION THE TIGER IN THE ZOO and THE BALL POEM

Read the extracts given below and attempt  by answering the questions

that follow. 

(A) But he’s locked in a concrete cell,

His strength behind bars,

Stalking the length of his cage,

Ignoring visitors.

He hears the last voice at night,

The patrolling cars,

And stares with his brilliant eyes

At the brilliant stars

i. The fact that the tiger is ‘stalking the length of his cage’ tells us that he is

a) restless.

b) reckless.

c) resilient.

d) reverent.

ii. What is the rhyme scheme of the given stanzas?

a) abcb; abcb

b) abcb; abcd

c) abcd; abcd

d) abcd; abcb

iii. These stanzas bring out the contrast between

a) zoos and cities.

b) strength and weakness.

c) freedom and captivity.

d) visitors and patrolling cars.

iv. What is the caged tiger NOT likely to say to the visitors?

a) “Stop staring”.

b) “Set me free”.

c) “Join me".

d) “Go away”.

v. The tiger’s ‘brilliant eyes’ reveal that he

a) hopes to be free and in the wild, someday.

b) is looked after well and is nourished and healthy.

c) enjoys staring at the bright stars each night.

d) is well-rested and hence, wide-awake.

(B) I saw it go

Merrily bouncing, down the street, and then

Merrily over — there it is in the water!

No use to say ‘O there are other balls’:

An ultimate shaking grief fixes the boy

As he stands rigid, trembling, staring down

All his young days into the harbour where

His ball went

i. The poet uses the ball as a symbol of the boy’s

a) sense of adventure.

b) carefree childhood days.

c) ability to bounce back.

d) extended family.

ii. The poet feels that there is no point consoling the boy as

a) it would give him false hope.

b) he might demand for a new ball.

c) it might distress him further.

d) whatever he has lost is irretrievable. 

iii. The word ‘harbour’ DOES NOT have a meaning similar to

a) port.

b) pier.

c) dock.

d) cargo.

iv. ‘Merrily over — there it is in the water!’ The dash here is meant to convey

a) some familiar experience.

b) a feeling of excitement.

c) a sense of unexpected interruption.

d) some thoughtful moments.

v. The word that DOES NOT indicate a physical manifestation of sorrow in the boy, is

a) worthless.

b) shaking.

c) trembling.

d) rigid. 

ANSWERS

(A)  i. a) restless                                                               

 ii. d)  abcd; abcb                                                 

  iii. c)  freedom and captivity.                               

 iv. c) “Join me”.                                                       

v. a) hopes to be free and in the wild, someday.      

 (Only ONE  answer for each Q will be accepted. Two answers chosen will result in zero credit of marks) 

 (B) i. b)  carefree childhood days.                               

 ii. d)  whatever he has lost is irretrievable.                 

 iii. d)  cargo.                                                             

 iv. c) a sense of unexpected interruption.                       

  v. a) worthless