Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 3 Previous Year Questions - A Tiger in the Zoo

Ans: The figure of speech used here is Oxymoron — “quiet rage”.
It combines two opposite ideas — quiet and rage — to express the tiger’s suppressed anger while being confined in the cage.

Ans: Silent

(The phrase “pads of velvet quiet” shows the noiseless, smooth movement of the tiger.)

Ans: (b) Both subdued and angry

(The tiger is full of rage but remains quiet and helpless in the cage.)

Ans: (A)

The people along the sand / All turn and look one way / They turn their back on the land / They look at the sea all day.
(Rhyme scheme: ABAB, same as the given extract — “stripes/cage/quiet/rage.”)

Ans: The tiger in the zoo ignores the visitors because he feels helpless and trapped behind the bars of his cage. His strength and freedom are confined, and he knows he cannot attack or frighten anyone. Instead of showing aggression, he quietly walks inside the cage, suppressing his anger and frustration.

Ans: The poem shows that the tiger has lost its natural instinct because, instead of hunting or roaming freely in the jungle, he now walks silently inside his cage. His wild strength and ferocity are suppressed, and he has become helpless and subdued in captivity.

Ans: The tiger in the zoo is imprisoned, helpless, and full of silent anger as he walks within the narrow limits of his cage. In contrast, the tiger in the forest is free, powerful, and majestic — lurking in the shadows, hunting deer, and roaming fearlessly in his natural habitat.

Ans: In the zoo, the tiger lives a dull and confined life inside a concrete cell. He moves silently up and down the limited space of his cage, suppressing his anger and strength. He ignores the visitors, listens to the patrolling sounds at night, and stares helplessly at the shining stars, longing for freedom.

Ans: In ‘A Tiger in the Zoo’, the tiger is shown as a helpless and confined creature. Leslie Norris presents the tiger as majestic yet powerless, pacing silently in a small cage. His strength and rage are suppressed, and he feels trapped and frustrated, yearning for freedom. The poem highlights the cruelty of captivity and evokes sympathy for the animal.

In contrast, in ‘How to Tell Wild Animals’ by Carolyn Wells, the tiger is portrayed as fierce, powerful, and free in its natural habitat. The poet humorously describes how one can identify wild animals, and the tiger is shown as a symbol of terror that leaps upon its prey. Thus, one poem shows the tiger’s captivity and helplessness, while the other shows its freedom and ferocity.

Ans: Both ‘Mijbil the Otter’ and ‘A Tiger in the Zoo’ highlight the deep desire for freedom found in all living beings. In ‘Mijbil the Otter’, Mij initially struggles when confined indoors but becomes joyful and lively once he experiences the open water, his natural habitat. His playful and curious nature blossoms only when he is free. Similarly, in ‘A Tiger in the Zoo’, the tiger is depicted as restless and frustrated in his cage, his strength and spirit subdued by captivity. The poet contrasts this with the tiger’s true life in the wild, where he roams proudly and hunts freely. Both works show that freedom brings life and happiness, while captivity causes pain and helplessness.

Ans.  He is confined in the zoo, whereas he experiences freedom in the jungle.

Ans.  By nature, the tiger is fierce, roaring to frighten the villagers residing near the jungle's edge.

Ans. The poet talks about the tiger in the zoo, locked in a small cage. It walks quietly in the tiny space and doesn’t roar. Its soft paws, like velvet, make no noise as it moves.

Ans. Suppressed anger

Ans. The word ‘stalks’ suggests walking with majesty, reflecting the tiger’s natural elegance and strength. In contrast, ‘the few steps of the cage’ highlight the tiger’s restricted movement and lack of freedom. 

Ans. (D)

Ans. The poet describes the tiger’s bright stripes and its quiet movement in a small cage. Unable to roar or show its strength, the tiger walks silently on its soft, velvety paws, reflecting its sadness and helplessness in confinement.

Ans. The word “vivid” in the stanza means ‘clear and bright’ and is used to describe the tiger’s stripes.

Ans: (b)
The tiger hears the sound of patrolling cars at night, which is the last voice it hears before solitude takes over.

Ans: because there is a repetition of word 'brilliant'.
The word "brilliant" is repeated to emphasize the contrast between the tiger’s vivid eyes and the distant stars.

Ans: (c)
The extract contrasts the tiger's confinement within the cage with its yearning for freedom, symbolized by the stars.

Ans: (b)

The word "stalks" suggests the tiger’s restless movement, indicating frustration due to its confinement.

Ans: true
The act of staring at the stars symbolizes the tiger’s longing for freedom and a life beyond the bars of its cage.

Ans: (a)
"Quiet rage" indicates the tiger's frustration and helplessness due to its confinement, where it cannot express its anger openly.

Ans: he is waiting for his prey
The tiger is depicted as lurking in the shadows near a water hole, where it waits quietly for its prey, such as deer, to pass by.

Ans: softness of the velvet is used to describe the softness of tiger’s feet.
The term "pads of velvet" is a metaphor, comparing the softness of the tiger's paws to velvet, emphasizing their quiet and gentle touch.

Ans: (d)
"Stalk" means to walk in a controlled and calculated manner, often indicating a sense of purpose or restraint, as the tiger does in its cage.

Ans: True
The extract describes the tiger as lurking in the shadows near a water hole, implying it is waiting stealthily for prey, such as deer, to approach.

Ans: (c)
The phrase "quiet rage" reflects the tiger's controlled anger, showing his helplessness as he cannot express his full power due to confinement.

Ans: (a)
Statement (i) is correct because the tiger maintains his majestic appearance even in captivity, while statement (ii) is incorrect as the tiger is not looking for prey in the zoo.

Ans: (c)
Observing the tiger’s confinement evokes sympathy for his loss of freedom and natural habitat.

Ans: (b)
Despite not needing to hunt, the tiger feels anger and frustration due to his restricted life in the cage.

Ans: (a)
The tiger is drawn to the water hole as it attracts deer, his natural prey, allowing him to wait in ambush in the wild.

Ans: The tiger terrorises the villagers by baring his big white fangs and revealing his sharp claws. He makes terrifying snarls while moving around the houses of the villagers that are situated at the edge of the forest. His mighty presence and roars scare the villagers.