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A Tiger in the Zoo – Summary And Important Questions and Answers For Board Examination ( CBSE ENGLISH CLASS 10)

A Tiger in the Zoo – Summary And Important Questions and Answers For Board Examination ( CBSE ENGLISH CLASS 10)

This poem, written by Leslie Norris, highlights the stark contrast between two worlds: freedom and captivity. The poet shifts the scene back and forth between the tiger in a small, concrete zoo cell and the tiger as he should be in the wild.
In the zoo, the tiger is restricted. He has beautiful stripes and quiet, velvety paws, but he is trapped. He stalks the few steps of his cage in "quiet rage"—angry but helpless. He ignores the visitors because they are just a meaningless distraction to his miserable life.

In the wild (as imagined by the poet), the tiger would be hiding in the shadows of long grass near a water hole, waiting to ambush a "plump deer." He would be terrorizing villagers at the jungle's edge with his white fangs and claws.
The poem ends on a sad note: at night, the captive tiger hears the sound of patrolling cars and stares with "brilliant eyes" at the "brilliant stars," perhaps dreaming of the freedom he was born for.

A. Short Answer Questions

Q1. How does the tiger move in his cage?
ANS: The tiger moves "quietly" on his pads of velvet. He is limited to just a few steps, the length of his cage, showing his lack of freedom.

Q2. What is meant by "quiet rage"?
ANS: It is an oxymoron. The tiger is furious (rage) because he is imprisoned, but he is "quiet" because he knows he is helpless and cannot escape his cage.

Q3. Where should the tiger be "lurking" and why?
ANS: He should be lurking in the shadows of long grass near a water hole to hunt plump deer for his food.

Q4. How would the tiger terrorize the villagers?
ANS: He would do this by snarling around their houses at the jungle's edge, baring his white fangs and showing his claws.

Q5. Why does the tiger ignore the visitors at the zoo?
ANS: The tiger considers the visitors "uninteresting." He is so fed up with his confinement that he doesn't feel like showing off his strength or interacting with humans.

Q6. What is the significance of "velvet quiet"?
ANS: It refers to the tiger’s paws, which are soft like velvet. This allows him to walk without making a sound, a trait meant for hunting in the wild, now wasted in a cage.

Q7. What does the tiger hear at night?
ANS: He hears the sound of the "patrolling cars," which are the last sounds of the day in the zoo.

Q8. What does the tiger stare at with his brilliant eyes?
ANS: He stares at the "brilliant stars." This shows a connection between his longing for freedom and the vast, open sky.

Q9. What is the central theme of the poem?
ANS: The central theme is the importance of freedom and the cruelty of keeping wild animals in small, artificial enclosures.

Q10. Name the poetic device in "stalks in his vivid stripes."
ANS: This is Personification, as the poet refers to the tiger as "he" rather than "it," giving him human-like emotions.

C. Long Answer Questions (Value-Based)

Q1. Contrast the life of the tiger in the zoo with the tiger in the forest.
ANS: In the zoo, the tiger’s strength is "behind bars." He is a pathetic figure, ignoring visitors and limited to a few steps. In the forest, he is a king. He is free to hunt, hide in the shadows, and live according to his instincts. The poet uses this contrast to show that captivity kills the spirit of a wild animal.

Q2. "Freedom is a birthright." Discuss this with reference to the poem.
ANS: Leslie Norris argues that every living being deserves to be in its natural habitat. By locking a tiger in a "concrete cell," we take away its dignity and purpose. The tiger’s "brilliant eyes" staring at the stars symbolize a soul that belongs to the universe, not to a tourist attraction.

Q3. How does the poet use imagery to create a vivid picture of the tiger?
ANS: The poet uses strong visual words like "vivid stripes," "pads of velvet," "white fangs," and "concrete cell." These words help the reader feel the tiger's physical beauty and the harsh reality of his imprisonment. The imagery of "shadows" and "water holes" creates a sense of the wild that contrasts sharply with the "locked" cell.

Q4. Why does the tiger stare at the stars? What is he thinking?
ANS: Staring at the stars is the tiger’s only way to connect with the natural world. The stars are "brilliant" and free, just as he should be. It suggests a sense of hope or perhaps a silent prayer for a life where he isn't surrounded by bars and patrolling cars.

Q5. What message is the poet trying to convey to the readers?
ANS: The poet wants us to realize that animals are not toys for our entertainment. Zoos might be educational, but they are prisons for wild creatures. We should respect wildlife by protecting their natural habitats instead of caging them for our pleasure.

C.  Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
Q1. Who is the poet of "A Tiger in the Zoo"?
A) Robert Frost B) Leslie Norris C) Carolyn Wells D) Walt Whitman
ANS: B) Leslie Norris

Q2. What is the tiger's strength "behind"?
A) The trees B) The visitors C) The bars D) The shadows
ANS: C) The bars

Q3. The tiger’s paws are compared to:
A) Silk B) Velvet C) Cotton D) Wool
ANS: B) Velvet

Q4. Where does the tiger wait for the deer?
A) Near a cave B) Near a water hole C) Near a village D) In a cage
ANS: B) Near a water hole

Q5. The "patrolling cars" are heard at:
A) Morning B) Afternoon C) Evening D) Night
ANS: D) Night

Q6. The tiger’s rage is "quiet" because:
A) He is sleeping B) He is helpless C) He is happy D) He is hunting
ANS: B) He is helpless

Q7. What does the tiger "ignore"?
A) His food B) The stars C) The visitors D) The cars
ANS: C) The visitors

Q8. "Baring his white fangs" shows his:
A) Hunger B) Playfulness C) Ferocity D) Sickness
ANS: C) Ferocity

Q9. The "brilliant eyes" stare at the:
A) Visitors B) Meat C) Stars D) Trees
ANS: C) Stars
Q10. The cage is made of:
A) Wood B) Plastic C) Concrete D) Glass
ANS: C) Concrete

As Teacher my  Comment:
Pay close attention to the shifting settings (Stanza 1, 4, 5 are in the zoo; Stanza 2, 3 are in the wild). In your exams, use the term 'Enclosure' instead of just 'cage' to sound more professional. Also, mention the Contrast—the 'brilliant eyes' of the tiger match the 'brilliant stars,' suggesting that his spirit is still as bright as the heavens, even if his body is locked up."

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