Practice Reading Poetry (Part - 5) Notes | Study English Class 8 - Class 8

A Tiger in the Zoo

He stalks in his vivid stripes
The few steps of his cage
On pads of velvet quiet
In his quiet rage
He should be lurking in shadow
Sliding through long grass
Near the water hole
Where plump deer pass
He should be snarling around houses
At the jungle’s edge 
Baring his white fangs, his claws
Terrorizing the village!
But he is locked in the concrete cell
His strength behind bars
Stalking the length of his cage
Ignoring vis itors
He hears the last voice at night
The patrolling cars
And stares with his brilliant eyes
At the brilliant stars.

Word-Notes: 

I. On the basis of your reading of the poem, answer the following questions: 

(a) Where does the tiger described in the poem live?
 (b) Why would the tiger lurk in shadows?
 (c) What would he do at the jungle’s edge?
 (d) Why do you think the tiger is ignoring visitors?
 (e) What is the last sound that the tiger hears in the night?

II. Pick out the words and phrases that describe the movements and actions of tiger at contrasting situations—when caged and when in forest.

Answers:

(a) Where does the tiger described in the poem live?
 Ans. The tiger described in the poem lives in a cage in a zoo.

(b) Why would the tiger lurk in shadows? 
 Ans. The tiger lurks in the shadows near a water hole stalking other animals like plump deer to attack them.

(c) What would he do at the jungle’s edge? 
 Ans. He would be terrorizing the people in the villages near the forest

(d) Why do you think the tiger is ignoring visitors? 
 Ans. He is tired of visitors who throng the zoo day in and day out and they do not interest him anymore.

(e) What is the last sound that the tiger hears in the night? 
 Ans. He hears the sound of patrolling cars.

Q II. Pick out the words and phrases that describe the movements and actions of tiger at contrasting situations—when caged and when in forest.
 Ans.