A Tiger in the House – Book Q A Class 10 ENGLISH
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Chapter: A Tiger in the House
Comprehension Check 1 (Page 108) | www.WithTeachers.in
Question ❓.1 Who was Timothy and where was it discovered?
Answer 🎯.1 Timothy was a tiger-cub. He was discovered by Grandfather hiding among the intricate roots of a banyan tree during a hunting expedition in the Terai Jungle near Dehra.
Question ❓.2 Why did Grandfather accompany the party?
Answer 🎯.2 Grandfather was requested to accompany the party because he knew the forests of the Siwalik hills better than most people. His role was to advise on the land and the direction the beaters should take once a tiger had been spotted.
Question ❓.3 The writer says that the camp was very splendid. Why?
Answer 🎯.3 The camp was sumptuous and splendid because it consisted of seven large tents for the shikaris, a dining tent, and a number of servants' tents. The dinner included hot-water plates, finger-glasses, and seven or eight courses, along with fifteen elephants, four of which had howdahs.
Question ❓.4 Who discovered Timothy and when?
Answer 🎯.4 Grandfather discovered Timothy when he was strolling down the forest path at some distance from the rest of the party.
Question ❓.5 Do you think Grandfather was very bold? Why do you think so?
Answer 🎯.5 Yes, Grandfather was very bold because he picked up the tiger cub from the jungle with his own hands and brought him home.
Question ❓.6 What kind of special quality did Grandfather have? How was Grandfather different from other members of the party?
Answer 🎯.6 Grandfather had a special knowledge of the forests of the Siwalik hills, which he knew better than most people. He was different from the other members because, while the sportsmen never saw or shot a tiger, Grandfather had the distinction of being the only member to bag any game, dead or alive.
Question ❓.7 Do you think Grandfather will pet the tiger cub at home?
Answer 🎯.7 Yes, Grandfather brought the tiger cub home after the camp broke up to keep him as a pet.
Comprehension Check 2 (Pages 109-110) | www.WithTeachers.in
Question ❓.8 Who are there in this part of the story?
Answer 🎯.8 This part of the story features the tiger cub Timothy, Grandmother, the cook Mahmoud, the writer (grandson), Toto the monkey, a small mongrel puppy, and Grandfather.
Question ❓.9 Who named the tiger cub and who brought it up?
Answer 🎯.9 The tiger cub was named Timothy by Grandmother. He was brought up by the cook, Mahmoud, who initially fed him milk from a feeding bottle.
Question ❓.10 What was the diet of the tiger cub?
Answer 🎯.10 Initially, the cub was given entirely milk in a feeding bottle, but it proved too rich for him. He was then put on a diet of raw mutton and cod liver oil, which was later followed by a tempting diet of pigeons and rabbits.
Question ❓.11 Who were Timothy's companions at home?
Answer 🎯.11 Timothy was provided with two companions: Toto, the monkey, and a small mongrel puppy found on the road by Grandfather.
Question ❓.12 What was Timothy's favorite amusement? How did the writer become Timothy's favourite?
Answer 🎯.12 Timothy's favourite amusement was to stalk anyone who played with him. The writer became one of the tiger's favourites when he came to live with Grandfather, and Timothy would creep closer to him, making a dash for his feet.
Question ❓.13 What kind of change came over Timothy, when he was six months old?
Answer 🎯.13 When Timothy was about six months old, he grew steadily less friendly. He began trying to steal away to stalk cats or pet Pekinese, caused frenzied cackling in the poultry house at night, and began to stalk the cook, Mahmoud, with villainous intent.
Question ❓.14 Grandfather decided to transfer Timothy to a zoo. Why?
Answer 🎯.14 Grandfather decided to transfer him to a zoo because Timothy's behaviour became increasingly dangerous and predatory, especially when he started stalking the cook, Mahmoud, around the house.
Question ❓.15 Where did Grandfather take him and how?
Answer 🎯.15 Grandfather took Timothy to the nearest zoo at Lucknow, two hundred miles away. He traveled by reserving a first-class compartment for himself and Timothy.
Question ❓.16 Do you think Timothy will be happy at the new place?
Answer 🎯.16 (Subjective student response) It is unlikely a wild animal raised in a home would be fully happy in a cage, but the zoo authorities were very glad to receive a well-fed and civilized tiger.
Comprehension Check 3 (Page 112) | www.WithTeachers.in
Question ❓.17 Read the last part of the story and say what it is about.
Answer 🎯.17 The last part of the story is about Grandfather visiting the Lucknow zoo to check on Timothy, only to unknowingly interact with a completely different, dangerous tiger because the real Timothy had already died.
Question ❓.18 When did Grandfather visit the zoo and why?
Answer 🎯.18 About six months later, while visiting relatives in Lucknow, Grandfather took the opportunity to call at the zoo to see how Timothy was getting on.
Question ❓.19 What did Grandfather do at the cage where Timothy was kept?
Answer 🎯.19 Grandfather climbed the railing with ease, put his arm through the bars, stroked the tiger's forehead, tickled his ear, and smacked him across the mouth whenever he growled.
Question ❓.20 How did the tiger behave towards Grandfather?
Answer 🎯.20 The tiger allowed Grandfather to put both hands around his head and licked Grandfather's hands.
Question ❓.21 What did he suggest the Keeper?
Answer 🎯.21 Grandfather suggested that the keeper put the tiger somewhere else because the leopard in the next cage kept frightening him.
Question ❓.22 Was the tiger really Timothy? How do you know this?
Answer 🎯.22 No, the tiger was not Timothy. The keeper informed Grandfather that Timothy had died two months ago of pneumonia and that the current tiger was trapped in the hills only last month.
Question ❓.23 What did the Keeper say to Grandfather about the tiger?
Answer 🎯.23 The keeper said that Grandfather's tiger had died of pneumonia two months ago, and the tiger currently in the cage was trapped in the hills just last month and was very dangerous.
Question ❓.24 What made Grandfather give a scornful look to the keeper?
Answer 🎯.24 Grandfather gave a scornful look because he was in a state of shock and disbelief that his beloved Timothy was dead, and he had just spent time affectionately petting a highly dangerous wild tiger.
Question ❓.25 Which character in this story do you like most and why?
Answer 🎯.25 (Subjective student response based on reading).
Question ❓.26 Can you give another title to the story? Give reasons for your new title?
Answer 🎯.26 (Subjective student response) Example: "The Mistaken Tiger," because the climax of the story revolves around Grandfather mistaking a dangerous wild tiger for his old pet.
D. Writing (Page 113) | www.WithTeachers.in
(Answer the following questions in about fifty words)
Question ❓.27 Who was Timothy? What made Grandfather to bring him home with him?
Answer 🎯.27 Timothy was a tiger cub discovered by Grandfather hiding among the intricate roots of a banyan tree during a hunting expedition in the Terai Jungle. Grandfather brought him home because he was the only member of the hunting party to bag any game, finding the cub abandoned.
Question ❓.28 Who were Timothy's companions and how was he brought up at home?
Answer 🎯.28 Timothy's companions were Toto the monkey and a small mongrel puppy. He was brought up initially on milk by the cook, Mahmoud, and later fed a diet of raw mutton, cod liver oil, pigeons, and rabbits.
Question ❓.29 Why did Grandfather decide to transfer Timothy to a zoo?
Answer 🎯.29 When Timothy turned six months old, he grew less friendly. He began stalking neighborhood pets, killed poultry, and started stalking the cook, Mahmoud, with villainous intent, prompting Grandfather to transfer him to the Lucknow zoo for safety.
Question ❓.30 What things did Grandfather do at the cage when he visited the zoo?
Answer 🎯.30 Grandfather made straight for the cage, climbed the railing, and put his arms through the bars. He stroked the tiger's forehead, tickled his ear, and smacked him across the mouth to quiet him down.
Question ❓.31 How did the tiger react to Grandfather's activities?
Answer 🎯.31 The tiger approached the bars, allowed Grandfather to hold his head, and began licking his hands with increasing relish. He only sprang away when a leopard in the neighboring cage snarled at him.
Question ❓.32 What made Grandfather become so sad and what happened to him in the end?
Answer 🎯.32 Grandfather became sad and shocked when a keeper revealed that his pet Timothy had died of pneumonia two months ago. In the end, he mumbled "Goodnight, Timothy" to the new, dangerous tiger and briskly walked out of the zoo.
Question ❓.33 Can you suggest some more lines to end the story in a different way?
Answer 🎯.33 (Subjective student writing exercise) Example: "Grandfather realized the wild beast had shown him unexpected mercy. He smiled sadly, knowing that perhaps a small piece of Timothy's gentle spirit lived on in the heart of this dangerous creature, and then he left the zoo forever."